Siemens demonstrates its leadership in molecular imaging at RSNA 2010

Demonstrating unmatched leadership in molecular imaging, Siemens Healthcare presents its leading portfolio in hybrid imaging solutions with molecular CT and molecular MR at the 96th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), November 28 to December 2 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Combining speed, image quality and affordability to work within any budget, the Biograph family of hybrid imaging systems at the Siemens booth will help open new doors in patient care and throughput.

“Siemens recognizes the clinical importance and potential of combining imaging information from different modalities into one view. Merged imaging information allows physicians to understand a disease and its progression significantly better and also to obtain this information in a much more efficient way. Biomarkers play a fundamental role in leveraging the clinical potential of molecular imaging modalities. We will continue to boldly innovate in both areas: on the modality side, as well as on the biomarker side to allow for sounder decision-making in the diagnosis and therapy of diseases,” said Dr. Bernd Montag, CEO, Imaging & Therapy Systems, Siemens Healthcare.

Setting the Standard in Molecular Imaging

Siemens leadership in Positron Emission Tomography•Computed Tomography (PET•CT) systems is the result of the revolutionary Biograph imaging system. The introduction of Biograph molecular CT (mCT) reinvented hybrid imaging with molecular resolution. The High-Definition PET•CT (HD•PET) system has the highest1 PET resolution available on a clinical system, and with HD•PET, provides the industry’s only uniform resolution across the field of view (FOV), while also providing a two times signal-to-noise (S/N) improvement.

Biograph also features a field-upgradable option called TrueV, which increases the axial coverage of the PET system. This option is unique to Siemens and has the ability to decrease scan times or reduce injected dose to the patient by 50 percent.

Introducing Affordable Performance at RSNA 2010

At RSNA 2010, Siemens adds yet another member to the Biograph family of hybrid PET•CT imagers with the introduction of the Biograph mCT 20 Excel. In an increasingly competitive healthcare market, the Biograph mCT 20 Excel continues to lead the world of molecular imaging innovations by offering outstanding imaging performance to Siemens customers at a lower cost – a state-of-the-art 20-slice molecular CT scanner that fits the budget of customers without compromising clinical performance.

It was designed to ensure that PET•CT imaging is available to medical institutions throughout the world, including community hospitals, smaller imaging centers and emerging markets exploring hybrid imaging for the first time. The Biograph mCT 20 Excel offers unique imaging technologies, such as a 20-slice adaptive CT; standard PET time of flight and the new HD•Chest technology. Biograph mCT 20 Excel boasts a large 78 cm bore and 500-pound capacity table that are optimized for large patients. The large bore also easily accommodates radiotherapy positioning devices for more accurate treatment planning. Using Siemens unique CARE technologies, radiation exposure from CT is minimized for patients, and is extremely important for patients pediatric to bariatric1.

Biograph mCT 20 Excel matches the Biograph reputation for high uptime and being recognized for system performance and reliability by industry reporting organizations, such as MDBuyline2. Just like all Biograph systems, the Biograph mCT 20 Excel has a full upgrade path on both CT and PET to ensure that the system can grow to meet the needs of growing healthcare facilities.

Molecular MR: Opening up New Avenues

To further secure its No. 1 ranking in hybrid imaging, Siemens now introduces its new Biograph molecular MR (mMR) system3 for research, the world’s first fully integrated whole-body molecular Magnetic Resonance (MR) system with simultaneous data acquisition technology, currently undergoing clinical use testing. This revolutionary system comprises a 3-Tesla MR scanner and an integrated Positron Emission Tomography (PET) detection system with an architecture that performs as one. In the new system, Siemens developers have succeeded for the first time in simultaneously capturing MR and PET data with a whole-body system.

With the simultaneous acquisition of MR and PET data, this system is designed to provide new opportunities for imaging. While MR provides exquisite morphological and functional details in human tissue, PET goes further to investigate the human body at the level of cellular activity and metabolism. The innovative system has the potential to be a particularly valuable tool for identifying neurological, oncological and cardiac conditions of disease and in supporting the planning of appropriate therapies. The Biograph mMR also opens new opportunities for research, such as the development of new biomarkers or new therapeutic approaches.

An Eye on the Future

Siemens culture of innovation continues to drive healthcare towards personalized medicine. With the clinical adoption of new technologies such as molecular MR, many more patients can be assured the most effective treatments. Additionally, Siemens significant investment into the discovery and development of new imaging biomarkers is an important driver for the future of hybrid imaging technologies. As new markers are developed and adopted for visualization with hybrid PET scanners, molecular imaging techniques, such as molecular CT and molecular MR can become standard of care to provide better outcomes for patients.

1 Based on comparative data on file.

2 Patients up to 500 pounds

3 The Biograph mMR system requires 510(k) review by the FDA and is not commercially available. Due to regulatory reasons its future availability in any country cannot be guaranteed. Please contact your local Siemens organization for further details.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 48,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2010 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 12.4 billion euros and profit of around 750 million euros.

Not all of the products/features mentioned here are already commercially available. Some of the products/functions mentioned here already are available for purchase in some countries. Due to the legal specifications pertaining to medical devices, their future availability cannot be promised in any country. More detailed information can be obtained from the relevant local Siemens organization.