Eastman Kodak Company
Medical Expedition Brings Modern Technology To Isolated Rain Forest Tribes
First Use of Medical Imaging Technology to Benefit Indigenous Populations
Vale do Javari, Brazil, April 1 -- Beginning Monday, April 5, a multidisciplinary team will lead a groundbreaking health mission into the Brazilian rain forest. The eight-week "Expedition Imagem do Javari," for the first time, will bring the benefits of advanced medical imaging healthcare to the indigenous tribes of the remote Vale do Javari region to diagnose and treat contagious diseases that pose a threat to their survival.
Unique to the expedition is the use of digital medical imaging technology, in the form of computed radiography (CR) and a picture archiving and communications system (PACS) provided by Eastman Kodak Company's Health Imaging Group. This digital imaging solution in keeping with the delicate ecosystem of the Brazilian rain forest since no chemical processing is required will enable remote examination and diagnosis of members of these isolated tribes and communities.
More specifically, physicians leading the expedition will travel by boat deep into the rain forest. With Kodak's technology aboard, they will be able to acquire digital medical x-ray images of tribe members and will be able to send the images and accompanying medical reports via satellite to a state-of-the-art radiology clinic in southern Brazil. There, a team of physicians will perform analyses and will prescribe medication and other first-aid items as appropriate to each individual's needs. The physicians also will begin to develop a longer-term strategy to combat future disease outbreaks.
The Expedition team expects to screen about 800 to 1,000 individuals within the Matis, Marubo, Kanamari and Korubo tribes. Spending four to 10 days in each village performing radiological exams, ultrasounds and blood tests, they expect to detect infectious diseases such as hepatitis A, B and Delta; yellow fever; malaria; and tuberculosis. Because of their isolation, the tribal populations lack the immunity to fight off diseases that may have been transmitted as a result of contact with Western society, even those diseases that would be considered relatively benign in many parts of the world. This mission is part of a larger effort to preserve the health and longevity of known Amazon tribes, as well as to prevent the spread of diseases to indigenous communities that have never been contacted.
The team's leaders are Dr. Sergio Brincas, the creator and lead physician of the expedition, who received training in radiology and image diagnosis in Brazil and the United States; Sydney Possuelo, Chief of the Brazilian Government's Federal Indian Department, and intermediary between the navigators and the tribes; and Bia Boleman, an expert in organizing expeditions into remote regions of South America.
"In recent years, the very survival of these indigenous populations has been at increasing risk due to contagious diseases, mainly because it is a challenge to treat them without proper diagnoses," said Dr. Brincas. "This was reason enough to find a way to bring in modern medical imaging and satellite technology that can help detect many of these diseases and lead the way toward preserving the health and longevity of these communities."
The majority of Brazil's isolated indigenous people live in the Vale do Javari, an Amazonian region covering roughly 20.7 million acres along the borders with Peru and Colombia. The Brazilian Government estimates that some 53 tribal cultures live in this region, in relative isolation from Western society. The region, which is located along the Ituand Itaquarivers, was officially declared an Indian reservation in 1996.
"Digital medical imaging technology has helped make this humanitarian effort possible in a way that might not be readily apparent," said Dan Kerpelman, President, Kodak's Health Imaging Group. "Without such technology, transmission of medical images and information from the rain forest to a leading medical facility simply would not be possible. And, therefore, treating these very special patients would likely have been prohibitive, since doing so would require that they leave familiar and secluded surroundings. It's also gratifying," he added, "that the experiences of these patients will help educate people everywhere how medical technology can improve their lives—via remote diagnostics, virtually instantaneous turnaround of medical images and, of course, the benefits that come from high quality imaging."
On the goals of the expedition, Sydney Possuelo said, "When you protect the isolated Indian, you promote the vibrant culture and history of the Amazon, and in turn, secure the biodiversity of our world."
The Expedition Imagem do Javari was created by Instituto Dunas e Ventos de Expedicoes Medicas e Esportivas and will be implemented in partnership with the Isolated Tribes Division of the Brazilian Government's Federal Indian Bureau (FUNAI). Kodak's Health Imaging Group and the Brazilian Radiology Academy are contributing technology and funding technical staff support to the expedition.
For more information on Expedition Imagem do Javari, please visit www.imagemdojavari.org.br.
Expedition Imagem do Javari
Fact Sheet
WHAT: A Humanitarian Mission
A multidisciplinary team will lead an unprecedented humanitarian health mission the Expedition Imagem do Javari into the heart of the Brazilian rain forest. The Expedition is the first to bring advanced medical imaging equipment to the area's indigenous tribes to diagnose and treat infectious diseases that threaten their survival.
WHERE: Vale Do Javari
The majority of the indigenous people in Brazil live in the Vale do Javari an Amazonian region covering roughly 20.7 million acres along the Ituand Itaquarivers, near the borders of Peru and Colombia. The Brazilian Government's Federal Indian Bureau (FundaNacional do or FUNAI) estimates that some 53 tribal cultures live in this region in relative isolation from Western society. The Vale do Javari was officially declared an Indian reservation in 1996.
WHEN: Timing of Expedition
The eight-week Expedition will venture into the Javari River basin, a tributary of the Amazon River, on April 5, 2004. The period between March and May was chosen to coincide with the rainy season, which enables better river access to these isolated areas. The Expedition could take more or less time depending on environmental factors, how the team is received by the tribes, and the extent of intervention required in each location.
WHY: To Protect the Health of the Indigenous Tribes
The Expedition is equipped to screen 800 to 1,000 Indians within the Matis, Marubo, Kanamari and Korubo tribes. Diseases posing a serious health threat to the tribes range from hepatitis A, B and Delta; to yellow fever; malaria; and tuberculosis. Because of their isolation, the tribal populations lack the immunity to fight off many diseases, even those diseases that would be considered relatively benign in modern societies. This mission is part of a larger effort to preserve the health and longevity of known Amazon tribes, as well as to prevent the spread of diseases to indigenous communities that have never been contacted.
HOW: The Medical Technology
Because the Vale do Javari region lacks laboratory facilities capable of screening for infectious diseases, the Expedition will bring sophisticated imaging equipment into the region. Medical equipment used in the Expedition will consist of the latest in X-ray and digital imaging technology including the following from Eastman Kodak Company's Health Imaging Group: KODAK DIRECTVIEW CR 500 System (a computed radiography system) and KODAK DIRECTVIEW PACS System 5 (a picture archiving and communications system).
Images taken by the Expedition team will be sent via satellite to an advanced radiology clinic, Clinica Imagem, in Florianopolis, Brazil, for analysis and consultation. If disease is encountered, treatment will be administered on site. If necessary, individuals will also be offered the opportunity to receive hospital care. After the initial on-site screenings performed by the Expedition team, the Vale do Javari Healthcare Unit (the local health authority) has agreed to monitor and maintain the health of the tribes.
WHO: The Expedition Team
The Expedition will be presided over by the Instituto Dunas e Ventos de Expedicoes Medicas e Esportivas in partnership with the Isolated Tribes Division of FUNAI. The undertaking is supported by Eastman Kodak Company's Health Imaging Group and the Brazilian Radiology Academy (Colegio Brasileiro de Radiologia).
- Dr. Sergio Brincas (Expedition Founder) - Dr. Sergio Brincas
graduated from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in
1990, and specialized in radiology and image diagnosis. Dr.
Brincas works for ClImagem in Florianand studied at the Armed
Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Washington, D.C.
- Sydney Possuelo (Expedition Partner and
Indianist) - Sydney Possuelo has worked with Brazilian Indians
since the 1970's and was partner to many reputable Brazilians
that worked with the tribes. Currently, Possuelo works as head
of FUNAI's Indian Department. Dr. Possuelo's
experience interfacing with the tribes of the Vale do Javari
will allow him to play the important role of intermediary
between the Expedition team and the tribes.
- Bia Boleman (Expedition Director of Production)
Bia Boleman founded the company Dunas e Ventos. Dunas e Ventos
has been organizing expeditions through Latin American deserts
since 1981. Boleman has also participated in many expeditions
throughout various locations in South America. Boleman will
serve as the Expedition organizer.
For more information on Expedition Imagem do Javari, visit www.imagemdojavari.org.br.
Kodak Health Imaging
Product Facts
Kodak DirectView CR 500 System
Computed radiography (CR) refers to technology that captures x-ray images and stores them onto phosphor-based image plates. These image plates are then scanned to create a digital radiographic image, which is ready for display and interpretation by health care professionals. Current industry trends indicate that CR and DR medical image capture will result in a full conversion from film to digital technology in the future.
The Kodak Directview CR 500 System enables radiologists to quickly capture and view high quality digital x-ray images in a fast tabletop system. Built-in image processing software enables automatic processing and enhancement of images for the highest possible image quality. The CR systems are compatible with picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), which allow electronic transfer of images and information via secure Internet connection to remote sites for analysis.
Kodak DirectView PACS System 5
Picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) provide fast, easy, universal access to diagnostic images and reports, allowing clinicians, referring physicians, radiologists, and other healthcare providers to view images and information on site or at remote locations. Unlike older film-based systems, multiple users—even those in different facilities—can view PACS images simultaneously, speeding up diagnosis and treatment times to enhance patient care.
The Kodak DirectView PACS System 5 allows storage, display and management of large volumes of medical images (such as x-rays, CT scans and MRI images) and accompanying information. Kodak's PACS System 5 also provides fast and easy access to these images, through a central database that provides management of information archived in storage components throughout a healthcare system. In addition to the transfer and management of images, the capacity to interface with other systems allows access to patient medical records and other information to provide integrated diagnostic solutions.
About Kodak's Health Imaging Group
Kodak's Health Imaging Group is a world leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing intelligent imaging products from analog to digital and in providing innovative medical-imaging services, including those to assist customers with interoperability and other needs. Its product portfolio includes computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography (DR) systems, laser imagers, picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), radiology information systems (RIS), traditional mammography systems, x-ray film systems for general radiography, and dental imaging products. Its services portfolio includes everything from basic repair and maintenance to services encompassing equipment integration (from multiple vendors), storage and archiving, secure e-mail and more.
The group, with 2003 revenues of $2.43 billion, has served the global healthcare community for more than 100 years. The Health Imaging Group and Kodak's other major businesses Commercial Printing; Commercial Imaging; Display & Components; and Digital & Film Imaging Systems together are leading participants in infoimaging, a $385 billion industry created by the convergence of image-and-information technology. Infoimaging unites three closely related imaging markets that enable end users to more easily capture, process and share images and information: devices (such as Health Imaging's CR and DR systems), infrastructure (online networks and delivery systems for images, including PACS) and services & media (software, film and paper). For more information about Kodak's Health Imaging Group visit http://www.kodak.com/go/health.