|
 |
If you are attending AAHA, come and see us at Booth #424. We would love to meet you in person and welcome the opportunity to get feedback on your Metron implementation as well as show you some of the new features! We will be sharing a booth with AVLS and DVMConnexx IT Veterinary Services.
See you in Long Beach March 19-20!
|
Be sure you and your staff visit our
Support Services Site
for past newletters and online training sessions. |
|
|
From Support Services |
Customize your report cover by setting defaults for your practice contact information as well as your logo. Go to "Preferences" on the top menu bar and select "Report Cover."
|
| Did You Know... |
 |
Psuedo Color
Starting in version 5.31, you have the ability to colorize or emboss your images. Do this when viewing an image by clicking the multi colored button at the bottom of the screen.
Emboss
|
| Lines/Patterns/Flaws in X-Ray Imaging Techniques |
 |
Last month in the Best Practice section of the newsletter, we talked about "Lines and Patterns in Images." Please find a document that we have created to address some of this in more detail.
|
| Happy St. Patrick's Day! |
 |
|
| |
|
Greetings!
Message from Metron Support Services
Welcome to the fifth volume of the Metron Newsletter. It is hard to believe it is already March. Hope you and your practice haven't been hit too hard this winter season. Here in Wisconsin we are really looking forward to spring. I have not seen my lawn since November 27th.
We are always looking for clients to be in our Practice Spotlight. If you are interested in telling your Metron story including successes and best practices techniques along with what's happening at your practice, please let us know.
To all, thank you for your ideas and suggestions. Metron keeps getting better because you share with us what you need.
Kevin Scholz CEO, DVMConnexx Metron Support Services 
|
|
Practice Spotlight
Endless Mountains Equine
Word Spreads
We often hear the threatening message - provide bad service and ten people will hear about it. I have also heard that "good" service may not get any "word spread" at all because "good" is expected. Not until we provide "great" service does the word spread.
I had the opportunity to receive a call from Dr. Mallonee some time back. He called me because his close colleague Dr. Fox called him. Dr. Fox told him he was missing out on great x-ray images. He told Dr. Mallonee that Metron has some software improvements and new technique settings that make a huge difference with image quality. Dr. Mallonee called and said "I want the images that Dr. Fox is getting".
At the time, we were still working on our "image quality" changes including new technique charts. Our initial goal was to get Dr. Mallonee shooting images that rivaled Dr. Fox's. I was online and on the phone with Dr. Mallonee. We made a few changes to his scanner and Metron setup, then directed him to take a few shots using our new x-ray technique settings. As we expected, Dr. Mallonee got the image quality he was hoping for.
Dr. Mallonee then volunteered to help validate and refine some of the more difficult equine x-ray shots with the new setup including Navicular and Hock. He took dozens of shots, documenting each one to help refine the technique and other related settings. Thanks to Dr. Mallonee and all of you out there that have been helping and adding input to our ever improving Metron software and services.
Message from Dr Mallonee of Endless Mountains Equine
My practice is 100% sports medicine, with about 50% racetrack and 50% hunter/jumpers. As important as radiology is in sports medicine, it has been a love/hate relationship. In the days of wet chemistry getting a processor was problematic and re-takes meant a trip back to the horse. The first generation of digital units was a Godsend but 100K pricetags were deal breakers. The ScanX CR was a fabulous solution but images with overlapping bone densities like AP hocks and the proximal navicular borders were lacking acuity. I tried every possible technique you can imagine, stationary grids, etc but could not get the image I wanted. I thought the only answer was to buy a DR unit until I was shown the Metron software.
The Metron software was a dramatic improvement "right out of the box". Hocks, P3s, and even stifles were excellent. When Dr. Fox and Kevin Scholz asked me to try the new scanner settings I was a little skeptical but gave it a try. To say the results were improvement over the initial settings is a profound understatement. They were as good as any images I had seen from any source including referral institutions. It was even nicer that I still used my ultra-light 80Kv portable unit.
Metron was one of those few items I have used in my practice that has both improved my diagnostic abilities and made money the first day it was in service. The ScanX CR with Metron is a state of the art system that delivers images equal to any other digital radiology system.
Word spreads - we are trying very hard to have the right kind of Word Spread. We highlighted Dr Fox and Thoroughbred Performance Diagnostics LLC in the January Metron Newsletter.
|
|
Best Practices
Great x-ray images should not happen by accident!
- Kevin Scholz
You purchased a digital x-ray system for a few reasons. Those reasons always include the production of images that give you adequate detail for diagnosis. With open CR x-ray, the consistent quality image production is influenced by a few key factors.
Plate quality - your CR plates may not support the resolution you are scanning. The resulting image can be less useful than an image scanned at a lower resolution.
Plate wear - we have all seen scratches that detract from an otherwise great image.
Shot distance (FFD) - the x-ray shot distance must be consistent. Anytime you are using a portable x-ray generator, make sure you know your shot distance and measure it when possible.
Generator power - with both small animal and equine, the x-ray generator is another critical variable in the production of great x-ray images. The general rule with CR x-ray, the more MAS the better the image.
X-ray technique - like FFD, we need to be very consistent with x-ray technique. Every shot of the same type and object of interest thickness needs the same x-ray technique. If your shots are not coming in with the right exposure, adjust and then go forward with that adjustment.
Image resolution - some say that the image resolution is not important. That is only true for those images that contain what you need to see without zooming in. Image resolution is a big factor when trying to visualize fine detail. Of course, image resolution potential needs help from other key factors.
Image filtering - filtering will help to accentuate the details you need to see. Metron pre-processes the image to give you maximum detail without any adjustments. Personal preference with optional filters gives you more or less contrast to help highlight details that may otherwise not be visible. | |
|
|
|
March 2010 
