Spine Centers Adopt Dynamic Digital Radiography to Facilitate Fast, Accurate Diagnosis

WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dynamic Digital Radiography (DDR) from Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc. is rapidly gaining acceptance in spine centers across the US due to its ability to capture the physiological motion of the cervical spine (C-spine) and lumbar spine (L-spine) as a patient moves through the full range of motion. More than 10 spine and orthopedic centers have implemented DDR on the KDR® Advanced U-arm System in 2021. DDR first gained acceptance in hospitals as a tool for pulmonologists to assess and quantify lung function. As orthopedic and sports medicine specialists gained exposure to the technology, DDR has been adopted in all types of facilities, from academic centers to community hospitals and large and small orthopedic and spine practices. Konica Minolta will be highlighting DDR and its capabilities in dynamic spine imaging at the North American Spine Society 36^th Annual Meeting being held in Boston September 29-October 2.

The lack of stability in the cervical spine may affect neurological health and cause pain and irritation to the spinal cord or nerve roots¹. According to researchers, dynamic radiography is more reliable than any other clinical test used to diagnose spine instability². In trauma imaging, the incidence of delayed diagnosis of C-spine injuries ranges from 5-20%³.

Neill Wright, MD, a cervical spine expert and neurosurgeon with Blessing Physician Services, part of Blessing Health System (Quincy, IL), says DDR is filling an important diagnostic need in patients with injuries to their neck. “There are limitations with static X-rays, as we may not get a very accurate picture of what their neck is doing in motion,” Dr. Wright explains. “In patients complaining of significant neck pain where all traditional imaging has failed to show any problems, we are seeing with DDR what was not otherwise diagnosed. The exam is seamless, cost-effective and readily available as part of our normal radiographic workup.”

DDR is not fluoroscopy, it is a series of individual digital images acquired at high speed and low dose on the KDR® Advanced U-Arm, a fully automated digital radiography system that can be used for all standard X-ray studies. In the same study, clinicians can acquire static and dynamic images. The resulting cine loop provides visualization of the dynamic relationship of anatomical structures in a diagnostic-quality view. Motion quantification is possible with advanced image processing from Konica Minolta.

“Spine centers are adopting DDR because clinicians see the value of the information it provides that they cannot otherwise obtain from traditional imaging modalities such as static X-ray, MRI or CT,” says Guillermo Sander, Marketing Director, Digital Radiography. “We are continuing to gather clinical data from our early adopters to help other spine centers, neurosurgeons and spine specialists optimize their workflow and enhance patient outcomes with this innovative and advanced imaging technology.”

<sup>1. Andrew Lederman, MD, Vincent Huang, MD APMNR.ORG https://now.aapmr.org/spinal-instability-definition-theory-and-assessment-of-spinal-column-function-and-dysfunction/.
2. Esmailiejah AA, Abbasian M, Bidar R, Esmailiejah N, Safdari F, Amirjamshidi A. Diagnostic efficacy of clinical tests for lumbar spinal instability. Surg Neurol Int. 2018;9:17. Published 2018 Jan 25. doi:10.4103/sni.sni_359_17.
3. Platzer P, Hauswirth N, Jaindl M, Chatwani S, Vecsei V, Gaebler C. Delayed or missed diagnosis of cervical spine injuries. J Trauma. 2006 Jul;61(1):150-5.</sup>

About Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc.
Konica Minolta Healthcare is a world-class provider and market leader in medical diagnostic imaging and healthcare information technology. With over 75 years of endless innovation, Konica Minolta is globally recognized as a leader providing cutting-edge technologies and comprehensive support aimed at providing real solutions to meet customer's needs and helping make better decisions sooner. Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc., headquartered in Wayne, NJ, is a unit of Konica Minolta, Inc. (TSE:4902). For more information on Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc., please visit https://healthcare.konicaminolta.us.

Contact:
Mary Beth Massat
Massat Media
224.578.2388
https://healthcare.konicaminolta.us

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