Two health systems amped up their technological capabilities last week.
MaineHealth’s diagnostic laboratory, called NorDx and based in Scarborough, installed a fully automated tissue trimming and sectioning technology that’s widely used in Europe but is the first in the U.S., according to a news release.
Central Maine Healthcare unveiled a new nuclear medicine camera at Bridgton Hospital.
Danish tech
The automated platforms installed at NorDx were purchased from Axlab A/S, a Denmark-based developer and distributor of diagnostic technologies, working with Dainippon Seiki of Japan, the manufacturer behind the automated trimming and sectioning systems.
With installations across Europe and the United Kingdom — including more than 30 systems being placed within the U.K. National Health Service — Axlab is looking to expand into the U.S. with a focus on addressing workload, staffing challenges and diagnostic quality, according to the release.
“This technology represents more than automation — it is the modernization of a process that has not changed much since the first microtome was introduced in 1848,” said Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres, president and chief physician executive of NorDx.
A microtome is a precision instrument for slicing biological tissue.
“By integrating automated trimming and sectioning, we expect to improve the satisfaction of our staff, standardize image quality on our digital imagers, accelerate delivery of diagnostic results to patients and raise the overall quality of the services we provide,” said Martinez-Torres.
Early adopters internationally have reported significant reductions in staff stress, measurable improvements in turnaround time and enhanced section quality. The decision to adopt the technology followed a multi-month evaluation that included site visits to Denmark, workflow reviews, extensive input from NorDx histology professionals and from the pathology team at South Portland-based Spectrum Healthcare Partners.
The systems will be deployed within the NorDx laboratory network, the region’s highest-volume diagnostic services provider.
Detailed images
Central Maine Healthcare’s Bridgton Hospital unveiled a new nuclear medicine camera, marking a significant investment in advanced diagnostic technology and improved access to specialized care for the Lakes Region community.
Funding was made possible through $820,000 in congressionally directed spending secured by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, for Central Maine Healthcare.
“This investment means fewer patients will need to travel long distances for specialized imaging,” said Marney Chalmers, a Central Maine Healthcare board of directors member who is based in the Lakes Region. “Care close to home makes a real difference for patients and families, and the addition of this equipment helps facilitate that.”
Nuclear medicine can help diagnose heart function and blood flow, thyroid conditions, cancer and treatment monitoring and other conditions.
Nuclear medicine is often misunderstood but uses very small amounts of radioactive material to safely diagnose and treat disease by showing how organs and tissues are functioning, rather than just what they look like, Jared Tobolski, a cardiologist at Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute, said during the ribbon-cutting.
“This new equipment will help our clinicians detect disease earlier, make more accurate diagnoses and better tailor treatment to each individual patient,” Tobolski said. “It will allow us to see how the body is working in real time, which is critical for timely and effective care.”
The camera produces detailed images of the heart, bones, lungs, kidneys, thyroid and other organs.
For cardiac patients, the technology helps evaluate blood flow to the heart and identify areas at risk, often enabling earlier intervention and preventing more serious cardiac events. In oncology care, nuclear medicine imaging can detect cancer earlier, monitor how well treatments are working and help guide next steps in care.
The camera offers improved image quality, faster scan times and greater patient comfort, reducing the need for repeat exams and minimizing time spent in the hospital.
