Patients and technologists benefit from reduced dose of UltraSPECT image reconstruction software

Auburndale, Mass., May 29, 2013 – UltraSPECT, a leading provider of nuclear medicine (NM) image reconstruction technology that reduces radiopharmaceutical dose and acquisition time, announces today the installation of its proprietary Wide Beam Reconstruction (WBR™) software at nearly ten healthcare facilities. These installations come as a result of the recent agreement between UltraSPECT and radiopharmaceutical provider PharmaLogic, under which PharmaLogic is offering the WBR software as part of its patient-centered approach. In just a short time, PharmaLogic has successfully approached dozens of NM imaging facilities about the advanced WBR software which improves patient safety and technologist safety, while providing higher efficiency and optimum image quality. 

WBR is an innovative technology addressing today’s concerns about patient radiation exposure and improved image quality. It enhances the performance of existing NM cameras, enabling a 50 percent reduction in ASNC-recommended radiopharmaceutical injected dose, reducing imaging scan time up to 50 percent, while maintaining the full level of image quality. The technology, sold as part of the UltraSPECT Xpress.Cardiac™, Xpress3.Cardiac™, and Xpress.Bone™ products, can be utilized with most major manufacturers’ NM systems, as well as all clinical software packages. 

"The industry’s growing interest to reduce radiation exposure to patients and to the technologists performing the exams led us to look for a cost effective, low-dose solution, resulting in our incredibly successful partnership with UltraSPECT,” said Steve Chilinski, president and CEO of PharmLogic. “When we present the solution, healthcare facilities are amazed at everything they can achieve - significantly reduced patient radiation exposure, improved patient throughput, no need for expensive camera upgrades, and all this while maintaining the high quality images cardiologists need for diagnostic accuracy. We believe these initial installations are just the start of a growing demand for the solution as all of our nuclear medicine customers see that everyone from patients and technologists to physicians, pharmacies and pharmacy staff will benefit.” 

UltraSPECT is the only Nuclear Medicine company to offer this proprietary FDA-approved software solution that can be retrofit into existing SPECT imaging systems. The UltraSPECT Xpress line of products can be readily installed on current gamma camera systems. Utilizing the proprietary WBR iterative reconstruction algorithm, which simultaneously addresses resolution recovery and noise reduction for low-count density, it provides high image resolution for greater lesion localization, raising diagnostic confidence and precision. The products minimize radiation exposure for both patients and technologists, while abbreviated acquisition times reduce the possibility of patient motion artifacts and enhance patient throughput and comfort. For many WBR users, the result is enhanced equipment utilization, revenues, patient satisfaction and referrals.

Huntington Internal Medicine Group (HIMG), Huntington, West Virginia, recently selected the UltraSPECT Xpress.Cardiac and Xpress.Bone solutions as part of their partnership with PharmaLogic. This IAC-accredited facility with four cardiologists and several thousand cardiac exams performed each year has been using the software with immediate positive results for patients, technologists and cardiologists.

"When we learned about UltraSPECT’s WBR technology, we knew immediately that we needed it, and the results have been even better than what we had expected,” explained Juanita Dempsey, BS, CNMT, RT(N), cardiology and radiology manager at Huntington Internal Medicine Group. “Not only does the ability of the software to enable half of the radioactive dose help protect our patients, but it’s greatly protecting our technologists who are overseeing the procedures again and again. And our cardiologists now have even better image quality than before, from a software solution that was easily installed and backed by incredible support."  

UltraSPECT will be highlighting its WBR software at the upcoming Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) annual meeting, June 9-12, 2013, in Vancouver, Canada. For more information on WBR or to schedule an appointment with UltraSPECT during SNMMI, call 1-888-WBR-SCAN (1-888-927-7226).

About UltraSPECT

UltraSPECT Inc. is a leading provider of image reconstruction products, dedicated to enhancing the performance of existing nuclear medicine gamma cameras and PET scanners. Based on proprietary, innovative reconstruction algorithms, UltraSPECT’s Wide-Beam Reconstruction (WBR™) solutions shorten acquisition times, lower radiation dose and increases image resolution. Xpress.Cardiac™ enables rest/stress study acquisition with either half the radiopharmaceutical dose or half the scan time, compared to conventional acquisition techniques. Xpress3.Cardiac™ offers simultaneous reduced-dose and reduced-time imaging, supporting increased patient safety and comfort. For more information visit: www.ultraspect.com or contact:  UltraSPECT Inc. at 1-888- WBR-SCAN (1-888-927-7226).