Download as a PDFPukka-j expands its Nuclear Medicine capabilities in Europe
Pukka-j is finding that its business in Europe is rapidly expanding as moreand more sites require a solution for their Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT departments so that their data can be preserved and integrated into their existing hospital information systems, for example, EPR, HIS, PACS/RIS. Often the complexity of storage, distribution, viewing and reporting of molecular imaging means that it is low priority in terms of integration and storage of data for radiology PACS providers.
The Pukka-j specialist PACS and HL7 Engine systems provide departments with a dedicated service for managing the workflow of Nuclear Medicine and PET CT images. Pukka-j’s solution enables users to manage complex datasets that include a mix of curves, regions of interest, static and dynamic views and screen captures. In addition, the NM PACS can be configured to directly import legacy data and convert to DICOM files for users to recall, view and re-analyse on the Department’s workstations.
Kevin Wilson, Managing Director of Pukka-j says,
We are in effect filling a gap in the market since most of the large PACS providers neglect this area. With the need to integrate and store data becoming vital to hospitals, I see this as an important area of expansion. Pukka-j as a software provider specialises in tackling these notoriously difficult areas
A recent project was recently implemented in the Netherlands for the Ziekenhuisgroep Twente (ZGT). The Nuclear Medicine Department at ZGT has two locations: Twenteborg Ziekenhuis (TBA) in Almelo and Streekziekenhuis Midden-Twente (SMT) in Hengelo. Later in the year it will expand to a third location (Hospital Winterswijk).
ZGT’s Nuclear Medicine Department holds a total of one Siemens PET/CT, four GE Gamma Cameras and seven GE workstations for processing data. The department uses a Nuclear Medicine Information System (NIS) for planning and logistics. Pukka-j achieved the Hospital’s goal, which was to redefine workflow with the Nuclear Medicine Department and integrate the data with the Hospital Information System (HIS), Electronic Patient Record (EPR) and the Sectra radiology PACS/RIS. The Pukka-j PACS provides archiving, study, distribution (image and reports) and communication with all Nuclear Medicine modalities, including PET/CT and information systems NIS and RIS.
This means the Radiology Department at ZGT is now able to book a CT scan direct to the PET/CT scanner using the Pukka-j HL7 Engine to receive all patient admission messages for capture of patient demographics, and take order messages from the Sectra radiology PACS/RIS and from NIS. The service also provides worklist capabilities to all Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT modalities. In addition, the Pukka-j web interface is launched from the HIS/EPR to enable users to view the specialist Nuclear Medicine images and associated reports. As an added bonus, Pukka-j cleaned-up and migrated seven years of legacy nuclear medicine data to their PACS to allow other, newer, nuclear medicine devices to view and reprocess the images.
Other countries where Pukka-j has installed its specialist nuclear medicine PACS and HL7 engines include Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Luxemburg and Sweden.
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