E-Z-Em develops virtual colonoscopy agent

E-Z-Em of Westbury, NY, announced this month that it has signedan agreement with Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem,NC, to develop an oral contrast agent for virtual colonoscopyprocedures under investigation at the hospital. The agent willminimize artifacts in 3-D images of the colon that can obscureor mimic polyps in virtual colonoscopy simulations. Virtual colonoscopyis being developed as an alternative to video-based colonoscopyscreening (SCAN 7/19/95).

In other news, E-Z-Em has introduced a new remote-controlledCT contrast injection system, PercuPump II. E-Z-Em used feedbackfrom radiologists and technologists in designing the system, whichuses a touch-screen remote control and features an optional thermalprinter to print a record of each patient's procedure.