NovaDose

Ionizing radiation

Medical imaging is generally non-invasive, allowing doctors to diagnose diseases and injuries without penetrating the patient’s body.

Some imaging tests involve exposure to ionizing radiation, which can present risks to patients. Most people have undergone one or more medical imaging tests during their lifetime -- some have undergone many, and that is where the risk arises.

Although usually non-invasive, there are risks associated with medical imaging technology that uses radiation to create images of patient anatomy. Risks from exposure to ionizing radiation can include an increase in the likelihood that patients may develop cancer; minor health effects such as hair loss and skin rash; and allergic reactions resulting from contrast dye injected into the patient’s veins.

There are several ways to reduce both exposure to and risk from diagnostic ionizing radiation.

These include minimizing unnecessary imaging exams, ordering exams that do not require radiation, and requiring patients to wear lead shielding that prevents exposure to parts of the body not of immediate clinical interest.

New dose standards

In January 2019, the Joint Commission implemented a new and revised set of requirements designed to ensure dose safety.

The changes require equipment checks to ensure that fluoroscopy units work properly, physicians and staff are educated regarding radiation dose management and equipment operation, a radiation safety officer is designated at each facility, radiation dose information is acquired, radiation dose thresholds are established, and instances of excessive radiation dose are investigated.

NovaDose is taking a lead in ensuring these standards are met.

NovaDose technology

Over the past 40 years, the rate of CT scans has increased more than 166 percent, with the number of scans performed rising from 30 million in 1980 to 80 million in 2015. There are several reasons for the increase: population growth, aging baby boomers, and advancements in radiology are just a few. The increase in high-dose scans means that more people are being exposed to radiation than ever before.

While it is difficult to prove the cause and effect of radiation and cancer, one thing is certain: the more frequently that a patient receives radiation, the greater the risk. Monitoring radiation dosage is essential to minimizing that risk. These days, dose monitoring is driven by technological advancement, increasing compliance obligations for healthcare professionals. NovaDose was developed for just that purpose.

NovaDose, powered by DoseMonitor from PACSHealth, tracks patients and alerts clinicians using historical dose indices that help prevent excessive exposure. Tracking coverage is multidimensional: by patient, modality, technician, and procedure.

When a test is ordered, NovaDose aggregates a patient’s ionizing dose history and provides alerts based upon a customer-defined dose threshold. Upon installation, NovaDose can optionally search existing PACS databases and create a dose profile for each patient. Alerts resulting from historical dose information are triggered upon exam order and broadcast via email or sent to the RIS, HIS, or PACS. Dose data can also be sent directly to the physician report.

Dose monitoring has traditionally been performed manually by physicists, however, NovaDose is changing the landscape. Once installed, the engine driving the software automates data collection and evaluation in order to meet mandatory reporting and regulatory requirements. NovaDose is ACR-DIR certified for data upload.

A far-reaching solution

NovaDose software is in use in hospitals and imaging centers throughout the US. Patients feel safer knowing radiation is monitored, clinicians are more efficient knowing their patients are protected, and imaging center administrators have peace of mind knowing they are compliant with the new Joint Commission standards. With NovaDose, safety, efficiency, and compliance are the key benefits for providers and patients.

Key benefits

Enterprise-level, fully automated, and doesn’t impact workflow

Support for all ionizing modalities, including MRI

Joint Commission-compliant

Able to map peak skin dose for angiography/fluoroscopy

Interaction with the National Institutes of Health Global Dose Registry, which allows users to compare the radiation dose of a patient’s exam with the global database consisting of millions of similar studies that have been provided by healthcare facilities around the world

Flexible alerts and notifications

Multiple output designations, including RIS, HIS and PACS