3-D Tomographic X-Ray

Three-dimensional digital tomosynthesis has revolutionized mammography and is now poised to spread to other applications, such as orthopedics.

A third imaging modality poised for a breakthrough in 2016 is 3-D tomographic x-ray. Over the past five years or so, 3-d digital tomosynthesis has improved breast imaging, and in 2015 the technology was assigned a CPT code.

“That solidified the reimbursement and business model on top of the great things it does on the imaging side,” says Frost & Sullivan's Nadim Daher.

As a result, he expects this technology to be expanded into other applications such as orthopedics, where it can be used to take weight-bearing images. Carestream is one company that’s starting to talk about its R&D in that area, he adds.

[image courtesy of HOLOGIC]