About 25 per cent of computed tomography (CT) scanners installed across Europe are too old, according to a study released last week by the European Coordination Committee of the Radiological, Electromedical and Healthcare IT Industry (COCIR).
The report says equipment installed in hospitals is older than ever before, and says about 3,000 of the CT units are obsolete. Out-dated devices are unable to use the latest advances in the field, which would mean less radiation exposure for patients.
“It is disappointing to report that the age profile of the installed base of medical imaging equipment continues to deteriorate. There are now more than 3000 scanners in Europe so old that patients and healthcare professionals can no longer benefit from technological advances that reduce required radiation dose”, says Nicole Dendoy, COCIR Secretary General.
From the report
“Austerity measures imposed on healthcare systems mean that the installed base of medical imaging equipment in Europe is older than ever before. The continued use of this equipment is exposing patients to unnecessary risk. In some countries, the installed base-age profile trend is improving. However, this is more than offset by the fact that a quarter of the European Computed Tomography (CT) installed base is unsuitable for ‘radiation dose saving software upgrades’.
“COCIR recently identified ‘significant’ triggers in the technological, medical and regulatory areas. These include CT Dose modulation and CT Reiterative reconstruction algorithm technologies, which dramatically reduce the required X-Ray dose. For example, reductions of >50% in paediatric imaging without a loss of diagnostic quality have been published”.
“However, a quarter of the European CT installed base is too old to be upgraded with these technologies. This makes them inadequate from a dose optimisation and radiation safety perspective; they should be replaced. This means approximately 2500 CT units in Western Europe and 500 CT units in Eastern Europe cannot be upgraded. The majority are in Poland, Germany, Italy and Spain”.
Age Profile & Density 2016 Edition was published by COCIR in October 2016.
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