FDA green-lights Siemens iterative reconstruction protocol

The FDA has cleared Siemens Healthcare's CT iterative reconstruction algorithm SAFIRE (Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction) for sale in the U.S.

The image reconstruction software and hardware reduces radiation dose in CT exams. Additionally, the use of projection raw data during the iterative image improvement process enables a reduction of subtle image artifacts and therefore a further improvement in general image quality, according to Siemens.

SAFIRE helps users reduce dose by up to 60 percent compared to previous filtered back projection techniques, as documented in the FDA clearance letter. The algorithm provides a reconstruction speed of 20 images per second.

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