Pukka-j recently launched a dedicated CT viewer to enable multi-slice CT scans to be reviewed quickly and efficiency. The new viewing tools feature wavelet compression level options, a scout view with cross-referencing and a useful ‘Auto-Scroll Series’ function for working with slow network speeds. The system automatically displays each new CT slice as it downloads to avoid the radiologist sitting in front of the terminal and waiting for each new slice to download before scrolling forwards through the series.
Work on the new product was triggered by a request from Pukka-j’s customer Northwick Park Hospital, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust. Following an extensive public consultation programme undertaken by NHS London, the hospital has been selected as one of just eight specialist centres in London to treat stroke patients,
Northwick Park is already a major stroke hospital and will become a ‘hyper-acute’ stroke centre, treating patients twenty-four hours a day. Speed is essential, as scanning has to take place within three hours of the stroke for treatment to be fully effective. Therefore, no patient in the catchment area will be more than thirty minutes away by ambulance from the Centre.
“North West London Hospitals NHS Trust was delighted to be selected as one of the new regional stroke centres for London. In order to meet the tight deadlines for reporting of CT scans for the new service we needed to make sure our consultant radiologists could report the head scans quickly and easily from home, or from high-spec roving laptops. We therefore asked Pukka-j to make some enhancements to the Web-Viewer they supplied to us recently as part of our CT data ‘mini-PACS’ project.Pukka-j quickly went to work on these changes, so that the new PACS-web users can now download “losslessly-compressed” thin-slice datasets far faster than before, even when using the 3G laptop modems. The faster download speeds and the added flexibility of mobile reporting mean we will be better placed to meet the demands of the new service.”
Adham Nicola, Radiology Manager, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust
The stroke project criterion relies on quick decision-making about immediate treatment. The Pukka-j CT Viewer enables rapid access to brain scans to be read and interpreted by radiologists, neuroradiologists and stroke consultants twenty-four days a day and seven days a week.
Pukka-j is a customer-focused company providing development and deployment of IT products and services to be healthcare sector. The company specialises in configuring its systems to the way that the NHS and independent providers need them to work