SPONSORED FEATURE: AGFA HEALTHCARE
the world, including in younger age groups. And while emerging Brussels. “Agfa HealthCare partners with us in patient-focused
countries have the same needs for cancer detection and programmes through support of a wide range of endeavours to
treatment as economically developed countries, they face increase breast health awareness among women and medical
additional challenges – whether in infrastructure, patient professionals.”
education, user training or physical distance.
“Our digital solutions for mammography focus on addressing IT: It takes a team to fight cancer
a ‘triangle’ of challenges for the care provider: finding the best “For successful treatment, the right person needs the right
resolution, enhancing the image readability with our MUSICA2 information at the right time. Our IT solutions improve workflow and
image processing software, and minimizing radiation doses for information flow.” - Herman Raats, Agfa HealthCare
the patient,” Mr Raats comments. “Above all, we aim to offer a Cancer treatment has become a real team effort, rather than
complete portfolio that always provides what we call ‘no the responsibility of a single doctor. The teams, however, can be
compromises’ image quality but that still suits the specific spread far and wide. “Our IT solutions can create virtual
situation of every facility.” interaction between tumour boards, for example,” explains Frans
Agfa HealthCare’s technologies, such as its computed Dhaenens. “And they can overcome the long distances faced,
radiography (CR) mammography solutions and needle-IP particularly in emerging countries.” On a day-to-day level, the
detectors, are central to the company’s efforts to surmount that PACS-based workflow of Agfa HealthCare’s IMPAX solutions
trio of challenges. Both improve resolution, and by decreasing helps facilities, teams and individual doctors to lighten their
and even eliminating the need for repeated images, play a role in heavy workflows, save time and improve information flows.
reducing radiation dose. And this will continue into the future, On a more global level, Agfa HealthCare’s IT solutions can be
explains Frans Dhaenens. “As we move from CR to needle-IP and used to maximize the use of existing data: extracting knowledge
through to digital radiography (DR), the technology is to advance cancer protocols, collecting data helpful in
increasingly sensitive, which will allow further patient dose determining the characteristics of certain cancers, and
reduction even while improving image quality. Dose versus intelligently deducting knowledge.
image quality: that is the constant balance, and through R&D we “Our solutions, our portfolio and our whole ‘story’, show how
will continue to shift it.” we, like INCTR, are committed, to fighting and beating cancer,”
concludes Frans Dhaenens. “It’s a continuing battle, it’s a global
Knowledge makes the difference: Training, education battle, it is a battle we must fight together. Agfa HealthCare will
and programmes continue to do our part by developing tools, technology and
“We are seeking a more holistic approach to mammography…The knowledge that support the efforts of the medical community.”
curriculum of the School of Modern Mammography in the Ukraine
has been developed by Agfa HealthCare. It incorporates European References
Alex A, Weingast J.,Hofer B.,Eibl M., Binder M., Pehamberger H., Drexler W.
guidelines for mammography diagnostics and screening.” - Dr Galina
Povaza B., ‘The optical coherence tomography for clinical diagnosis of
Maistruk, Gynecologist-Oncologist, Ukraine nonmelanoma skin cancers’ Imaging Med. 3 (6) 653-674,2011
“Every customer anywhere in the world should be able to get Blatter C.,Weingast J., Alex A., Grajciar B.,Weiser W., Drexler W., Huber R. and
Leitgeb R. ‘In situ structural and microangiographic assessment of human skin
the most from their Agfa HealthCare solutions,” insists Frans
lesions with high-speed OCT’ Biomedical Optics Express, 3 (10) 2636-2646 2012
Dhaenens. “The effectiveness of screening depends on training, Boone M.: Optical Coherence Tomography: Improved lateral and axial
knowledge and better organization.” For example, a CR solution resolution 'Application in inflammatory skin diseases with epidermal alteration'.
may be capable of detecting micro-calcifications in the breast, ePoster P0173 at the 20th EADV congress Lisbon, Portugal, 20-24 October 2011.
Boone M, Jemec GB, Del Marmol V, Department of Dermatology, H.' High-
but that is only half the battle: the physician has to be able to see
definition optical coherence tomography enables visualization of individual cells in
it and recognize it. Agfa HealthCare provides screening courses healthy skin: comparison to reflectance confocal microscopy'. Exp. Dermatol, 2012.
for radiologists, both at a basic level and then at higher levels. Boone M, Norrenberg S, Jemec GB, Del Marmol V. 'Imaging of basal cell
Beyond the role of the radiologist, Agfa HealthCare offers carcinoma by high-definition optical coherence tomography: histomorphological
correlation. A pilot study,' Br.J.Dermatology. 2012, (Publication pending)
devices and information on how to maintain the quality of the
Maier T, Braun-Falco M, Hinz T, Schmid-Wendtner MH, Ruzicka T, Berking C.:'
solutions themselves. Morphology of basal cell carcinoma in high definition optical coherence
But awareness cannot focus only on the health care provider: tomography: en-face and slice imaging mode, and comparison with histology', J.Eur.
Acad, Dermatol. Venereol 2012
the patient must be involved as well. “The knowledge women
Maier T, Braun-Falco M, Laubender RP, Ruzicka T, Berking C.:' Actinic keratosis
have on how to prevent breast cancer is astonishingly low,” says in the en-face and slice imaging mode of high-definition optical coherence
Dr Fabienne Liebens, Head of the Multidisciplinary Breast tomography and comparison with histology', Br.J.Dermatology, 2012.
Clinic and Breast Screening Clinic ISALA, Saint-Pierre Hospital,
74 CANCER CONTROL 2013