With RSNA behind us and a new year ahead of us, HealthCare Business News checked in with Eyal Aharon, CEO of Medic Vision, to get his impressions on how the radiology industry is changing and the role his company plays in it.

Although the company offers solutions for different imaging modalities, these tools aim to resolve challenges that impact the entire radiology department and healthcare as a whole.

HCB News: For some people, Medic Vision is a name associated with XR-29 compliance, but at RSNA 2018 your focus was on MR. Tell us about the solution you showcased in November.

Eyal Aharon: Medic Vision is indeed associated with CT dose reduction and dose management, yet our XR-29 solution is just one product in our SafeCT product line. Over the years, we have learned from our SafeCT customers that with the current declining reimbursement rates, efficiency and productivity became their top concern.

Since MR scan time ranges from 15 to 60 minutes, leading high costs per scan, the scanner's productivity is very much limited. Shorter scan times can increase the number of scans per day, thus increase capacity and efficiency. We identified that we can exploit our technology and knowledge gained from our SafeCT to reduce MR scan time and help address these concerns.

iQMR, which launched in 2018 after receiving FDA clearance, leverages machine learning aided iterative image reconstruction technology, allowing shorter MR scan time. New short protocols are defined on the scanner, where scan time is traded for reduced image quality, then the system restores image quality to the required diagnostic level. Our clinical studies, as well as our customer sites using iQMR routinely, demonstrate an average reduction of 38 percent in scan time without degrading image quality.

HCB News: What is the common thread between XR-29 Dose Check and iQMR?

EA: iQMR is based on our SafeCT product, which enables radiation dose reduction in CT scans. Just as we reduce dose for CT examinations, we shorten scan time in MR.

Like SafeCT, iQMR is compatible with scanners of all vendors and models, and with all related radiology systems (e.g. PACS).

HCB News: Did any themes or trends emerge at RSNA 2018 that surprised you?

EA: I was happy to see that AI, still being one of the top trends in radiology, is in its realization phase. We are no longer at the point where everyone discusses whether AI would replace radiologists, but at a more pragmatic stage, where we think how we can harness AI power to improve clinical service and workflow and enhance the quality of service to the patient.

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