State-of-the-art radiological equipment to be showcased at Arab Health 2005

A range of recent trends, including developments in imaging technology, improved computer management of local health services, and demand for cost-efficient and rapid communication between X-ray departments and patients, have combined to accelerate progress in this critical area.

The Middle East Imaging and Diagnostic Conference, to be held at Arab Health 2005, will be one of the largest gatherings of its type ever held in the region. Sponsored by technology giant Philips, the conference will also be hosting delegates from the Radiological Society of Saudi Arabia (RSSA) and the Pan Arab Association of Radiological Societies (PAARS) for the first time ever.

"Medical imaging will be one of the most dynamic subjects under examination at the forthcoming series of Arab Health conferences," said John Hassett, IIR Middle East exhibitions director, healthcare division. "Technological breakthroughs are taking the field forward very quickly, and it's important that both professionals and patients in the region benefit from these advances."

The main aims of contemporary medical imaging are increased diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, decreased invasiveness of the patient's body, and minimized costs. According to experts in the field, progress in medical imaging has been driven by continuing increases in computer power, advances in micro-instrumentation and communications technology and, lately, the impact of molecular biology.

"Advances in Picture Archive and Communication Systems (PACS) and tele-radiology have had an enormous impact, enabling us to transmit digitized medical images such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and sonograms over electronic networks, together with the interpretation of the transmitted images for diagnostic purposes," said Dr. Sattam Saud Lingawi, Assistant Professor of Radiology and President of the Radiological Society of Saudi Arabia.

The use of PACS technology - which allows images to be distributed electronically and interpreted on computer workstations - is spreading rapidly the region, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia, where the population is geographically dispersed. The benefits of a PACS system are manifold, including faster report turnaround time and improved patient care, as physicians no longer need to wait for film images to be processed and then analyzed.

In Saudi Arabia, at least ten medical centers currently use PACS as their main image interpretation, archiving and communication system. These centers have internal networks linking all radiological modalities to radiology reporting stations, as well as to satellite viewing stations distributed in the hospital, to enable the treating physicians to review their patients' images at their convenience.

These medical centers are also linked via high-speed phone lines to satellite clinics to facilitate image transmission to referring physicians, thus improving patient care. Similar systems also exist in Egypt.

Teleradiology systems, which allow primary healthcare physicians to consult with a team of radiologists at a distant location while all are simultaneously viewing the same image, are also having a major impact on the region's healthcare sector.

The possibilities for radio imaging and diagnosis are endless -- rural physicians can send patients' images taken in the local clinic to radiologists in distant locations for reading and consultation. Even if a specialist radiologist is located in another part of the world, a physician requiring remote consultation with the specialist can now do so with relative ease.

Digital image acquisition has become the standard for modern equipment used in angiography, ultrasonography, CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radionuclide radiology, but most radiological images are still recorded, interpreted, and stored on x-ray film.

However, the exponential growth in computing power plus the increasing availability of more efficient and affordable storage phosphor systems mean that the simple radiograph looks set to become digital and 'filmless' radiology departments could soon be a reality across the entire Middle East region.

"PACS has empowered major medical centers around the world to become 'filmless', and many others are following in their wake. The benefits of teleradiology are significant, providing hospitals in the Gulf region access to sophisticated imaging interpretation worldwide, offering the region's patients extremely sophisticated and affordable levels of treatment and diagnosis," said Dr Lingawi.

Through its presence at the Arab Health Exhibition, the Society aims to promote its programs and publications, as well as to gain international affiliations and memberships.