Every Day
August - December 2007 Issue
Invented Here: Powerful Brain-Imaging TechnologyNew technology developed at the Medical College of Wisconsin and first used at Froedtert Hospital is helping make brain surgery safer. The technology is a computer system known as Prism, created by Kyron Clinical Imaging Inc. that helps physicians understand the workings of the brain like never before.
One risk of brain surgery is the possibility of complications like paralysis or impeded speech. Currently, surgeons use a variety of MRI, PET and other diagnostic images to map a patient’s brain, target the tumor and plan the safest surgery possible. The new Kyron system enhances the surgical planning process by merging separate images into a single unified view.
“Prism pulls the different imaging sources together and integrates them so that surgeons can appreciate complex spatial relationships in a far more intuitive way,” said John Ulmer, MD, one of the three Medical College of Wisconsin researchers who invented the software. “By making this advanced imaging data more practical and understandable, Prism helps physicians create surgical plans with the best chance of preserving critical brain functions.” Patients at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin were the first in the world to benefit from this new imaging technology. Dr. Ulmer said the Kyron system will soon be available at several leading academic medical centers throughout the country.
Source: Every Day Date: Aug - Dec 2007 Issue |