Siemens, Stereotaxis collaborate on magnetic navigation technology

Siemens Medical Solutions and Stereotaxis, of St. Louis, Mo., are partnering on research, sales and marketing efforts to bring magnetic navigation to interventional medicine, including radiology and neuroradiology.

 In January, Stereotaxis released its FDA-approved Niobe Magnetic Navigation system, designed to work with Siemens' Axiom Artis dFC digital fluoroscopy system - which is limited to interventional cardiology and electrophysiology application. Siemens' unit visualizes devices used by the Niobe system -- such as catheters and guidewires -- as clinicians navigate through the cardiovascular system. The imaging is limited to 2D images with low soft-tissue contrast.

 Both companies hope to integrate 3D operative images with magnetic navigation in targeting anatomic features.

 The advanced technology will encompass interventional radiology and interventional neuroradiology. The goal is to decrease procedure and fluoroscopy times and related costs, while reducing risks.

Around the web

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.

The newly cleared offering, AutoChamber, was designed with opportunistic screening in mind. It can evaluate many different kinds of CT images, including those originally gathered to screen patients for lung cancer. 

Trimed Popup
Trimed Popup