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App Manages Imaging Contrast Agents


May 1, 2008

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. has introduced an information system to manage use of contrast agents, also known as contrast media, in diagnostic medical imaging procedures.

Contrast agents are specific substances injected into a patient to highlight features that would otherwise be less distinguishable when imaged. The substance Magnevist, for instance, is used for MRIs and Ultravist is used for CT scans.

The information system, called VistaTrak, combines data management and decision support software and computerized dispensing cabinets from Wayne, N.J.-based Bayer HealthCare with the radio frequency identification technology of Mobile Aspects Inc., Pittsburgh.

The system includes RFID-tagged bottles of contrast agent in a “smart” cabinet, which integrates with a hospital’s radiology, billing, inventory and electronic health records information systems.

When a radiology technician removes a bottle of contrast agent from the cabinet, software scans the RFID tag and captures the data. That data includes the brand, concentration, size, expiration date and manufacturing lot number. The data is compared with ordering information and the patient’s electronic record to check for interactions, proper dosage and other safety concerns. For instance, if the concentration or size of the bottle is improper based on the patient’s weight, an alert will be displayed on the cabinet’s display screen.

The software also documents authorized users, captures billing information and tracks inventory. More information is available at http://pharma.bayer.com and mobileaspects.com.

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