What we need in the operating room is something that can find the lost sponges THAT GO ON THE FLOOR or get stuck inside the drapes. Sponges are rarely left in the patient, but when they are, it takes an Xray to find them. With the enhancements in digital xray imaging, the path of least resistance (and cash) is to put a tag on everything we use in surgery that will show up more prominently on digital xray.
The next phase of all of this is the miniturization of the CT scanner for intraoperative use anyway--it already exists, but it's too expensive and large right now.
Slashdot Mirror
What we need in the operating room is something that can find the lost sponges THAT GO ON THE FLOOR or get stuck inside the drapes. Sponges are rarely left in the patient, but when they are, it takes an Xray to find them. With the enhancements in digital xray imaging, the path of least resistance (and cash) is to put a tag on everything we use in surgery that will show up more prominently on digital xray. The next phase of all of this is the miniturization of the CT scanner for intraoperative use anyway--it already exists, but it's too expensive and large right now.