With the launch of its IQon
Spectral CT1 spectral detector-based CT system Philips has introduced a
fundamentally new development in medical imaging.
The new system is
the world’s first spectral-detector CT system built from the ground up for spectral
imaging. It uses color to identify the composition of an image without
involving time-consuming protocols. In the same way that white light is made up
of a spectrum of colors, the X-ray beam used in CT scanners also consists of a
spectrum of X-ray energies. With the development of a fundamentally new
spectral detector that can discriminate between X-ray photons of multiple high
and low energies simultaneously, Philips’ IQon Spectral CT adds a new dimension
to CT imaging, delivering not only anatomical information but also the ability
to characterize structures based on their material makeup within a single scan.
After a spectral CT examination, clinicians can interpret the conventional
grey-scale anatomical images, and if necessary, access the spectral information
that was acquired during the same scan.
The IQon Spectral CT system’s
retrospective on-demand data analysis is made possible via Philips’ iPatient
platform, allowing clinicians to easily experience the benefits of spectral CT
routinely within traditional radiology workflows. It has been estimated that
there are approximately 450 million CT imaging procedures carried out each year
throughout the world. Philips has
consistently driven innovation in CT, most recently with the introduction of its
proprietary Iterative Model Reconstruction (IMR) technology to simultaneously
reduce CT radiation dose and enhance image quality for a broad range of
applications.
Philips
Eindhoven,
The Netherlands