Siemens Introduces Continuous FlowMotion PET•CT

At the 2013 annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), June 8-12 in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Siemens Healthcare (booth 720) will introduce Biograph mCT Flow – a groundbreaking new positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) system that, for the first time ever, overcomes the limitations of conventional bed-based PET/CT with FlowMotion, a revolutionary new technology that moves the patient smoothly through the system’s gantry, while continuously acquiring PET data. Biograph mCT Flow with FlowMotion takes routine image quality to a new level by enabling imaging protocols based on the organ’s need. FlowMotion expands accurate and reproducible quantification in all dimensions for precise disease characterization in therapy monitoring, while enabling physicians to offer as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) dose to every patient. Additionally, the combination of a 78 cm bore with five-minute ultra fast scanning and a continuous sense of progress throughout the scan provides the patient with a more comfortable exam experience. The new Biograph mCT Flow PET•CT system with FlowMotion technology demonstrates Siemens’ innovation and competitiveness— key components of the Healthcare Sector’s Agenda 2013 two-year initiative.

“Siemens is proud to usher in a bold new era of PET imaging with the Biograph mCT Flow PET•CT system.” says Dr. James Williams, CEO of the Molecular Imaging business unit at Siemens Healthcare. “The system’s FlowMotion anatomy-based scanning approach helps enable physicians to make a more confident diagnosis based on high quality images for each patient, as well as accurate and reproducible quantification for treatment planning and monitoring.”

Finest detail in every organ*
Every organ in the human body is unique, with some presenting additional barriers to obtaining the necessary image quality to support confident diagnoses. With conventional PET/CT scanners, planning and scanning is limited to the fixed size of the system’s detector field of view (FOV) for each bed position. While the adjustment of scan parameters in clinical stop-and-go PET/CT protocols is technically possible, the complexity of adjustment has limited its routine use.

Fundamentally changing how PET imaging is performed, Biograph mCT Flow PET•CT with FlowMotion technology eliminates the need for stop-and-go, bed-based planning with planning and scanning based on the single continuous motion of the patient table. Without the limitations of bed positions, the technician can be easily adjust the examination parameters such as speed, image resolution and motion management to the precise dimensions of organs and routinely incorporated into a single scan for every patient.
 
Accurate quantification in all dimensions
In order to help physicians make sound decisions, imaging must provide accurate and reproducible quantification. Conventional PET/CT suffers from intrinsic sensitivity degradation from the center to the edge of the axial FOV. Overlapping sequential bed positions are used to compensate for this constraint, but this approach can lead to axially varying noise sensitivity.  This noise can distort the quantitative values of a detected lesion, which may prompt a physician to mischaracterize the severity of a tumor. By continuously moving the patient through the detection system, FlowMotion technology eliminates overlapping bed acquisitions and maintains uniform noise sensitivity across the entire scan range.

Minimum dose and maximum speed
Two of the most challenging issues facing healthcare today are the dual mandates to improve patient safety and increase productivity. Conventional PET/CT systems often require clinicians to choose between protecting patients through lower dose and enhancing productivity through faster scans.

FlowMotion eliminates CT dose due to overscanning by enabling the user to precisely define the beginning and end of the PET scan – and since the CT scan of Biograph mCT Flow begins and ends at the same points as the system’s PET scan, the patient is not irradiated in areas of the body that do not require a CT scan. With Biograph mCT Flow, the user can realize a CT dose reduction of up to 32 percent. Meanwhile, the new Biograph mCT Flow, coupled with TrueV, is the only solution that enables continuous scanning at twice the speed of conventional PET/CT. TrueV technology provides a 30 percent wider axial FOV of 21.6 cm—the largest in the PET/CT industry**— enabling Biograph mCT Flow to provide a 70 percent increase in count rate performance. When combined with ultraHD•PET, which delivers increased image quality, routine clinical scans can be performed in five minutes. Throughput is further enhanced by one click FAST planning. The user can employ a simple protocol setup to determine the scan type and duration for up to four zones—for example, the head, lungs, abdomen and legs. The user can then tailor the scan in each region using Siemens’ established image quality techniques.

Open comfort for all*** patients
Healthcare providers require a system that accommodates the individual needs of a wide patient demographic. A standard PET/CT scan can last 25 to 30 minutes, with the patient frequently falling asleep or zoning out while the system acquires a bed position. When the bed shifts to the next scanning position, the patient is often startled, resulting in an image that is marred by motion artifacts. The patient also can feel anxiety during the lengthy scanning process, perceiving no progress until the bed shifts to a new scanning position.

In addition to the elimination of patient motion due to surprise, the continuously moving patient table of Biograph mCT Flow gives the patients a sense of progress, which can further enhance patient satisfaction.  Additionally, the large 78 cm bore, short tunnel and a 227 kg [500 lb] table capacity can improve patient comfort and accessibility.

*Based on volumetric resolution of 87 mm3. Based on competitive literature available at time of publication. Data on file.
** Based on competitive literature available at time of publication. Data on file.
*** Patients up to 227 kg (500 lb).

Launched in November 2011, Agenda 2013 is the initiative of the Siemens Healthcare Sector to further strengthen its innovative power and competitiveness. Specific measures, which will be implemented by the end of 2013, have been defined in four fields of action: innovation, competitiveness, regional footprint, and people development.

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 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2012 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 13.6 billion euros and profit of around 1.8 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.