Creating a quantum leap in X-ray imagery

Technology has turned even an amateur into a polished photographer and it has also led to a quantum leap in the quality of X-ray images. For example, thanks to a greater number of pixels and the improvement of hardware technology such as CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) in medical imaging, doctors and radiologists get images for diagnosis or surgery at lower doses of radiation.

“As with photography, thanks to these new technologies the radiology technician can display an image on the spot with the confidence that there will be no need to re-do it; diagnosis can follow immediately, whereas before it was necessary to develop the film in a darkroom and wait for 20 minutes at least,” says Thierry Lemoine, Thales technical director.

“As with photography, thanks to these new technologies the radiology technician can display an image on the spot with the confidence that there will be no need to re-do it;" Thierry Lemoine, Thales technical director.

AI is enabling increased examination flows

In order to better enhance the hardware technology, Thales subsystems (software) also manage image acquisition and processing, display of digital images, and transmission of imaging data.

For the healthcare domain, new software with embedded Artificial Intelligence (AI) also reduces the radiation dose while maintaining a high level of image quality and saving time through the automation of procedures. Artificial Intelligence will provide diagnosis tools, freeing up time to focus on meeting patients’ needs.

"Diagnosis can follow immediately, whereas before it was necessary to develop the film in a darkroom and wait for 20 minutes at least,” Thierry Lemoine, Thales technical director.

Connectivity is a starting point for the development of all these new technologies. As connectivity means data flowing, Thales’ world-class data protection methods help avoid potential vulnerabilities. “Our solutions make it possible to deny access to sensitive data,” says Thierry Lemoine. “This is important because of the increasing number of radiological images which generate lots of data and can sometimes be manipulated from a distance.”

At the same time, Thierry Lemoine notes, the Internet of Things and specific algorithms are helping to treat the data, which, in turn, facilitates predictive maintenance of X-Ray equipment that will help anticipate any system failure before it occurs.

Going further in the imaging revolution and at the cornerstone of many critical applications, the use of 3D X-ray imaging is fundamental in medical imaging as well as for security markets, such as in airport checkpoints, and other counterterrorism measures.

To meet the need for new generation X-ray equipment, Thales recently entered into a partnership with Micro-X, a leading Australian developer of mobile X-ray technology, to develop together X-ray imaging systems that use X-ray tubes based on Carbon NanoTube (CNT) cathodes.  

The new partnership demonstrates the great potential and benefits of this compact technology that will better enhance the mobility of X-ray systems, efficiency in X-ray imagery and of course, that will increase efficiencies in patient care and airport flows.