Philips Debuts Radiology Innovations in Marrakech

Philips North Africa recently showed off three new technological advances in radiology solutions, intended to “empower” Moroccan radiologists and enhance decision-making in the field.

At the 9th Pan-Arab Radiology Conference and the 17th ‘Days of Franco-Moroccan Association of Radiology’ in Marrakech in May, the health technology company’s North Africa department unveiled a suite of “operational performance improvement software and services”: the IQon Spectral CT, the EPIQ 7 ultrasound system, and the IntelliSpace Portal 8.0.

The IQon Spectral CT is the world’s first spectral-based Computed Tomography (CT) scanner allowing radiologists to see patient anatomy “within a single, low-dose exam.”

Nissal Berrached
“Unlike traditional CT images,” Philips explains, “the IQon CT allows clinicians to identify the composition of materials in the body in one scan.” With its “excellent image quality,” the device with provide clinicians with high-quality information “to make the right diagnosis in even the most challenging cases,” says the health tech company.

The EPIQ 7 ultrasound system will offer a “powerful combination of speed and image clarity,” promises Philips, as it features an new imagining technology, SIGHT. This allows for better penetration at higher frequencies, even in patients with a high body mass index where previous ultrasound frequencies had proved ineffective.

The IntelliSpace Portal 8.0 is Philips’ latest visual analysis and quantification platform. Comprising a suite of multi-modality functions and expanded neurological tools, with added machine learning capabilities, the company says it will help users detect, diagnose, and follow up on the treatment of diseases.

In a statement released August 2, Philips noted that these new technologies help healthcare workers face the “significant economic and demographic challenges” found in Morocco and North Africa.

“Aging populations, the rise in non-communicable diseases, new regulations on radiation dose, and the need for greater productivity are all impacting on healthcare professionals everywhere,” writes Philips.

The healthcare tech company says that the unveiling of the three systems are aimed at meeting the “clinical, financial, and regulatory needs for greater efficiency, speed, flexibility, improved image clarity, better connectivity, and reduced radiation dose.”

The introduction of the technologies comes at a time when Morocco’s healthcare system is under fire. In April, the World Bank revealed that over one-fourth of Moroccans do not have access to medical care.

Earlier in August, the Minister of Health said that the RAMED health insurance program lacks resources and proper management to assist the 11.5 million citizens in need of its services. The minister’s admission served to undermine Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani’s promise in June that 90 percent of the country would be covered by healthcare by 2025.

Source: BNA