Somatom Definition AS nets FDA clearance

Siemens Medical Solutions USA has received FDA 510(k) market clearance for the Somatom Definition AS, an adaptive CT scanner.

The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston is one of the first facilities to install the scanner, adding to the Somatom Definition Dual Source installed in September 2006, according to Siemens.

The Somatom Definition AS adapts to virtually any patient, adapts for complete dose protection, adapts for new dimensions, and adapts to the user's space.

"The Somatom Definition AS goes beyond slices and detector rows to addresses the overall versatility and usefulness of a CT scanner," said Joseph Schoepf, MD, associate professor of radiology and cardiology, and director of CT Research and Development at MUSC. "It truly allows you to adapt the CT scanning to your individual patients."

The adaptive CT scanner comes in multiple configurations, each of which is tailored to a hospital's workflow and clinical needs, with a goal to make the most complex procedures routine. The technology couples multiple components in a dynamic manner: a large-volume coverage area with a 200-cm scan range and up to 300 msec rotation time, 78-cm gantry bore, and the ability to add a high-capacity 660-pound patient table.

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