GE Healthcare today announced results from its ongoing customer evaluation of Gemstone Spectral Imaging, a technology aiming to enhance CT’s diagnostic capability. Gemstone Spectral Imaging is an available option for Discovery CT750HD systems and is being delivered to customers worldwide.
One major clinical advantage of Spectral Imaging is to aid in the characterization of lesions. It introduces a new ability to quantify and separate materials – such as calcium, iodine and water - and helps clinicians determine whether lesions are enhancing. In cases where Spectral Imaging avoids additional diagnostic tests, healthcare costs and patient anxiety can be avoided.
“Spectral imaging marks a new generation of CT imaging – allowing for an effective and efficient diagnosis,” said Dr. Gladys Lo, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital. “Historically, CT development has focused on increased slices and faster scan times, but we believe more useful information allows high quality diagnosis at potentially lower cost.
GE worked with leading institutions including Mayo Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States, the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, and Keio University in Japan in the process of developing this technology. Clinical use has already identified a number of benefits to routine CT practice.
Accurate Diagnosis: Characterizing lesions
Indeterminate lesions are most common in the abdomen region, such as the kidney, liver and lung. According to the American Journal of Radiology, more than half of small lesions are indeterminate by CT abdominal exams. In cases where lesions cannot accurately be interpreted, this leads to additional testing, such as a PET or MR scan, to make a definitive diagnosis.
Spectral Imaging provides a clear and comprehensive story so that clinicians can confidently solve problems. Using two different energy levels, this technology is able to distinguish one type of tissue from another and offer additional anatomical and functional information that expedites a CT evaluation. With Spectral Imaging, clinicians have the ability to make well-informed decisions and potentially reduce the cost associated with additional tests (hyperlink to econ value prop).
"Spectral CT addresses issues related to poor contrast resolution of small abdominal lesions,” said Gary Israel, MD, Yale University School of Medicine. “We believe this type of technology could serve as a game changer for abdominal imaging.”