Carestream Gets FDA OK for New Medical Image Viewer

Heathcare continues to grow increasingly wireless but more interconnected.

The U.S. Food and Drug Adminsitration has cleared the Vue Motion medical image viewer from Carestream Health has received a clearance letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA’s OK centers around the viewer’s use with such mobile devices as Apple iPads.

The Web-based viewer enables on-demand access to patient imaging data by clinicians. The viewer is already being used with mobile devices in other countries worldwide, company officials noted.

Since the independent Vue Motion viewer can be integrated with other vendors’ PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications Systems) systems, DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) archives or cross-enterprise data sharing repositories, clinicians and referring physicians have faster access to radiology images stored in various locations throughout a healthcare system.

“Our viewer’s ability to interface with many PACS and archiving systems delivers rapid image review for clinicians and referring physicians. Convenient mobile access goes a step further and can expedite the start of patient treatment,” said Diana Nole, president, Digital Medical Solutions, Carestream Health. “This zero-footprint viewer also negates the cost of deploying and maintaining software across a healthcare system.”

Vue Motion does not require downloading of dedicated applications or software. There are no storage or technology requirements for users’ mobile devices, PCs or workstations.

“With Vue Motion we can quickly and easily make reports, images and prior exams available to the dozens of staff physicians, referring physicians and specialists we serve. The interface is so easy to use it takes only five minutes to be proficient, and even MR and CT images load quickly,” said Scott Stewart, manager of Information Services, Rochelle Community Hospital in Rochelle, Ill. “Another key advantage is that it enhances data transfer with our EMR. We are extremely satisfied with its performance.”

The viewer can be embedded in a hospital information system or electronic health record portal to allow authorized users across the enterprise to quickly and easily view patient data and images with a single log-in.

Carestream Health is formerly Eastman Kodak Company’s Health Group, and is an independent subsidiary of Onex Corporation in Toronto, Canada.