The past few years have seen great advances in mammography
Elisabeth Nilsson, CTO at RTI explains why RTI Black Piranha and the Ocean software together make a dynamic system for securing safe diagnostic procedures and mammography X-ray quality assurance.
Q: During the past few years, RTI has focused on improving X-ray QA for mammography. Can you describe what RTI has done during that time?
– RTI takes great pride in being able to offer our users QA tools for modern mammography. A lot of improvements have taken place in mammography during the past few years. New anode/filter material combinations, tomosynthesis, and higher kVs. It is important for RTI to be a part of securing safe diagnostic procedures, especially in mammography, where we screen so many healthy young women. It is a challenge to keep up with all the latest developments! We work in close collaboration with the mammography vendors, and it has been exciting to work with our detector, the Black Piranha and the Ocean Software. It is a very dynamic system. We also know that it must be easy to make measurements. When adapting to the latest mammography systems, we made the Black Piranha even easier to position. We also launched Ocean Quick Check for those standard required measurements. Our tools, with the Bluetooth communication, make a precise and efficient plug-and-play system.
Q: It is said that Solid state detectors cannot measure properly under Cu-filtrated beams.
– Not with RTI detectors. Of course, I can’t speak for other detectors in the market, but having personally developed the algorithm for the Black Piranha and heavy Cu-filtrated radiation myself, I can assure you that RTI and our thousands of customers are happy with the mammography measurements of the RTI detectors.
Q: How can a detector be dynamic?
– Well, modern mammography is expanding the kV-range up against 49 kV and we are using heavy Cu filtration. At the same time, our users need to be able to measure on the older mammo units that are still in use. The Black Piranha meets these challenges well. There is no need to introduce new sensors or switch sensor when measuring on high kV’s. Everything is being dealt with automatically. Just keep measuring with your Black Piranha without any fuss!
Q: What makes the Piranha so well suited for Mammography?
– The combination of the Black Piranha detector and the Ocean software makes a very powerful tool. As mentioned earlier, the wide kV capacity is important to meet the recent challenges. Also, the so-called Combo Modes”, where you use a sequence of Tomosynthesis and a stationary exposure, can automatically be followed with our system. Ocean will adapt and follow the sequence as well as calculate the total exposure automatically. Ocean provides great opportunities for the user to customize the measurement procedures, as well as their reports. Of course, there are predefined quick templates too. It is up to you!
Q: Do you support all standards for AGD measurements?
– We already support most standards. We are following the recommendations for the newest anode/filter material combinations and we update our software as new information is needed and made available.
Q: How is RTI able to provide calibrations for the latest Mammo machines – even before they appear on the market?
– Our close collaboration with the major mammography vendors ensures that you will find support for your new mammography unit. It is our ambition to be ready when new units enter the market.
Learn more about Mammography testing.
Elisabeth Nilsson, CTO RTI Group & MSc in Medical Physics.
After graduating with an MSc in Medical Physics from the University of Gothenburg in 2005, Elisabeth took a position in the Medical Physics Division at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. It was a rewarding first employment with tasks within dosimetry of both imaging and therapy systems as well as treatment planning. Interested in the challenges and possibilities of product development and being a part of developing the Diagnostic X-ray industry, in 2011 she started her path within R&D at RTI Group. The first two years were spent as an R&D Physicist with the main task of further develop RTI:s Mammography QA Solutions. In 2013 Elisabeth became R&D Manager and later on CTO of RTI Group