There's Keystone in every Great invention
Happy and Healthy Hearts
February 12, 2020
There’s a Keystone in every great invention.
Legend states that Saint Valentine married Roman soldiers, in defiance of emperor Claudius II Gothicus, to spare the husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love. Formal messages, or valentines, became popular in the 1500s and in the 1800s the first commercially printed valentines’ cards appeared in the US. Traditional gifts include flowers, candy, and anything heart shaped.
It is with Saint Valentine in mind that we explore the electronics that keep our hearts healthy.
Technology advancements have enabled heart diagnostic and treatment devices to be tailored to specific patient needs. From the type of MRI machine, to the function of the heart monitoring device, cardiac device designs have gotten a lot of love in the past few years.
There are three common types of MRI machines used by hospitals. The 3T MRI (3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine is used to examine the heart and circulatory system for damage resulting from a heart attack or heart disease, or blockages and inflammation in the blood vessels. This 3T MRI machine uses magnetic fields that have double the strength of a traditional MRI machine, thus producing an even more detailed image in less time. These strong magnetic fields enable higher resolution images for doctors to better evaluate the structure and function of the heart or aorta.
Once a heart condition is identified, it must be treated and monitored. There are many types of heart monitoring and recording devices. Cardiac event monitors record the electrical activity of your heart (ECG). This device is about the size of a pager. It records your heart rate and rhythm. Cardiac event monitors are used when you need long-term monitoring of symptoms that occur less than daily. Some record automatically, while other versions require a button to be pushed to record activity.
An insertable cardiac monitor (ICM) is placed just under the skin to automatically detect and records abnormal heart rhythms for up to 3 years depending on the patient’s needs.
A mobile cardiac telemetry (MCT) is a wearable monitor that automatically detects, records and transmits abnormal heart rhythms for up to 30 days.
A Holter monitor is a portable external monitor that includes wires with patches that attach to the skin. It continuously measures and records the heart’s activity for 1-2 days.
Keystone Devices Show the Love
A wide range of Keystone products can be found in MRI and cardiac monitoring machines . This includes battery clips, contacts and holders to keep things powered up. Larger portable cardiac devices use Keystone Electronics fuse clips and holders; PCB test points and terminals; spacers and standoffs; panel hardware and PCB plugs, pins, jacks, and sockets and more.
Visit Keystone Electronics in Booth 3377 at the Medical Design & Manufacturing West Show (MD&M West) Feb 11-13, 2020 in Anaheim, CA.
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