In the equipment planning and surgical design field, we keep hearing the word "sustainability." It's a concept that asks what equipment we can install now that's going to remain relevant as technology evolves. From an imaging perspective, that currently means high-definition monitors and digital radiography, which have by now saturated the market. Similarly, in all the talk of HD's wonders, it is important to note that every link in the imaging chain, from the camera head to the monitor, must be of high-definition quality or else your users won't get the full benefit of the improved resolution, clarity and color accuracy.

— Wayne Coffman, RT (ARRT), MS-HSA

AADCO Medical
S-315 Handleless Reinforced Undertable Shield
(800) 225-9014
www.aadcomed.com
List price: $2,956
This lead shield table attachment appears to be a viable option for radiation protection during imaging procedures. Its handleless operation, which forgoes adjustment handles for two recessed fasteners and an attached wrench, is a feature that other shields don't offer, says the company. The seven-panel design allows for convenient C-arm positioning through the shield.

Barco
MDSC-2124 Monitor
(866) 360-3545
www.barco.com
List price: not disclosed
The 24-inch, widescreen, LCD and high-definition MDSC-2124 supports all types of inputs. It has a comparable contrast ratio and resolution to other monitors of its size on the market, which lends itself well to either video or PACS images, says the company.

CompView Medical
NuBoom M2
(800) 448-8439
www.compviewmedical.com
List price: $148,600 to $198,000
If a facility is retrofitting a small OR or an OR without adequate ceiling space for an overhead boom system, this product offers the ability to suspend equipment from above and can be installed with little downtime, says the company. The user should be aware, however, that the swinging arms are rather large and might be an obstruction for taller surgeons or equipment.

Karl Storz Endoscopy America
Image 1 HD Video Technology
(800) 421-0837
www.karlstorz-hd-endoscopy.com
List price: not disclosed
With 1920x1080 resolution HD and a 16:9 aspect ratio, high-color contrast and multiple inputs, the Image 1 system's monitor appears to be a viable option for receiving HD video signals. While Storz promotes the compatibility of standard-definition camera heads and video scopes with the system's HD camera control units, you'd want to use a true HD camera to get the full benefits of the HD monitor.

Leica Microsystems
HM500 Head-mounted Microscope
(800) 248-0123
www.leica-microsystems.com
List price: not disclosed
Leica's HM500 is an alternative for microsurgeons who want more from their loupes but aren't ready for a floor-mounted scope, says the company. Its continuous auto-focus provides a 3D image at any working distance. The optics are supported by a 2x to 9x zoom, automatic parallax control, a 200W metal halide bulb for bright, shadow-free illumination and an integrated camera.

Leica Microsystems
M720 OH5 Surgical Microscope
(800) 248-0123
www.leica-microsystems.com
List price: not disclosed
Leica's M720 OH5 is designed along a horizontal plane to create a more compact optical head than traditional equipment. This improvement, the company says, offers a gain in the working distance for cranial and spine cases, allowing unobstructed access to the surgical field.

Medtronic ENT
Fusion ENT Navigation System
(800) 874-5797
www.xomed.com
List price: $105,000
Medtronic says that the accuracy of its electromagnetic Fusion navigation system is comparable to that of its optical navigation systems, making it a viable option for ENT procedures. The system's automated registration and verification, reusable instruments, multi-instrument tracking and surgeon-specific settings enable clinical convenience.

Medtronic ENT
xCAT ENT Intraoperative CT Scanner
(800) 874-5797
www.xomed.com
List price: $300,000
Medtronic's xCAT system appears to be a low-cost option for intraoperative CT scans during ENT surgeries. Slice thickness is comparable to similar mobile volume radiology equipment. The open-ended, as opposed to closed-gantry, design allows access to the patient during the procedure — an important feature for anesthesia providers as well as surgeons.

Oakworks
CFPM 400 C-arm Imaging Table
(800) 916-4612
www.oakworks.com
List price: not disclosed
This table, designed to accommodate both mobile and ceiling-mounted systems, looks like a good option for imaging procedures. It features a carbon-fiber top with an integrated headrest, an extended 56-inch imaging range for full-body imaging if needed and a patient weight capacity of 500 lbs., although at 22 inches wide, it may present problems for the heaviest patients.

Optronics
Microcast HD Camera System
(800) 796-8909
www.optronics.com
List price: $15,000
This monitor offers a resolution of 1920x1080p and a contrast ratio of 1000:1, both the highest currently available technology; a frame rate of 60 frames per second; the most inputs for HD monitors on the market; and both HD-SDI and HDMI outputs. Coupled with an HD camera, this system presents a high-grade option for surgical visualization.

Rivulet Communications
IES Endpoint with HVP Interface
(703) 439-1230
www.rivulet.com
List price: $15,500
Rivulet says its IES Endpoint, which features a high-definition video peripheral (HVP) interface, lets surgical facilities send images from their HD cameras and endoscopes across their existing IP networks for real time collaboration, teaching, storage and desktop viewing of quality video in true HD. The HVP accepts digital and analog video as well as analog audio, seamlessly encoding them for transport, says the company.

Sony PDW-75MDPAC1 HD Recording and Editing Package
(800) 535-SONY
pro.sony.com
List price: $14,995
This system includes the PDW-75MD HD Recorder for capturing surgical footage in the OR as well as the PDW-U1 External XDCAM HD Disc Drive and Sony Vegas 8.0 Professional HD Video Editing Software for the creation, archiving and presentation of procedures in high-definition video.

Steris Corporation
Flat Panel Monitor
(800) 548-4873
www.steris.com
List price: $12,100
Steris's 24-inch, widescreen, high-definition flat panel monitor has been designed to withstand the rigors of the OR environment, says the company. An all-aluminum chassis and efficient design provide proper cooling without the use of vents or fans, and a polycarbonate cover protects the LCD screen from accidental impacts with IV poles and video carts.

Stryker Endoscopy
PneumoSure XL High Flow Insufflator
(800) 435-0220
www.stryker.com
List price: $15,500
Stryker's 45L PneumoSure offers three different tube sets: high flow, high flow with real-time pressure sensing (RTP) and heated with RTP, which lets the insufflator pump CO2 into the abdomen while continuously monitoring pressure for increased accuracy and flow, says the company.

Stryker Endoscopy
Vision Elect HDTV Flat Panel Monitor
(800) 435-0220
www.stryker.com
List price: $12,495
Stryker's Vision Elect 26-inch monitor is a widescreen, flat-panel high-definition display that offers both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio display formats, accurate color reproduction and picture-by-picture capabilities, says Stryker.

Verathon Medical
BladderScan BVI 9400 with Small Child Mode
(800) 331-2313
www.verathon.com
List price: varies with system configuration
Verathon offers a full line of highly-regarded portable, non-invasive bladder scanners. The purchase of the BladderScan BVI 9400 will depend on whether the user needs to be able to measure post-void residual using 3D ultrasound; otherwise, the cost benefit of this feature needs to be weighed against that of models that don't offer this feature.

Vital Images
Vitrea and VITALConnect Software
(952) 487-9500
www.vitalimages.com
List price: not disclosed
Vitrea software creates multi-dimensional anatomical images from CT and MRI data, while VITALConnect allows access to Web-enabled, interactive anatomical visualizations, says the company. If you're considering this software, make sure your computers meet its system requirements.