RadBook 2013

19RAD·BOOK 2013 COMPUTEDTOMOGRAPHY A new password system enables scan protocols to be changed only by authorized people at a practice or clinic, not just by anybody with access to the machine. In addition, the inte- grated gantry display has been upgrad- ed. More information is reported, in a larger format, making it easier to both read and use.4 Practice made perfect As would be expected in a high- end system, the SOMATOM Perspec- tive family offers some of the latest innovations in CT. Dose reduction is achieved in three ways. The first of these is through the application of CARE Dose4D, which adapts the X-ray tube current throughout the duration of scan, helping to create images of consistent quality for all organs, pa- tient shapes, and sizes – in real time. This overcomes the most common chal- lenges of CT imaging: a) the applied dose in anterior, posterior, and lateral positions needs to be different; b) each slice requires different dose values’, and c) patients are quite heterogene- ous (young / elderly, small /large), so the applied dose must be adapted to the individual patient; d) patients can move after the initial topogram was acquired, thus a real-time adjustment is needed during the scan. Secondly, iterative reconstruction (IR) further aids dose reduction. Until recently, using IR with CT imaging in conven- tional clinical medicine was simply too timeconsuming: reconstructing im- ages with iterative algorithms required too much computational power. With Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Recon- struction (SAFIRE), Siemens has in- troduced rawdata- based iterative re- construction that can achieve a dose reduction of up to 60%5 across a wide range of applications. It also delivers excellent image quality. Due to its re- construction speed of up to 15 images/ second, SOMATOM Perspective brings SAFIRE into the daily routine. The final element of dose reduc- tion comes from Ultra Fast Ceramic (UFC) detectors, which have already become a key feature in CTs predat- ing the SOMATOM Perspective. UFCs enable the capture of smaller X-ray doses, yet they still respond with high luminance. This means that they out- perform conventional detectors, which require more radiation to generate an image of equal quality. Besides this comprehensive dose portfolio, the new scanner also features new functionali- ties like iTRIM and IVR, improving its diagnostic capabilities. The first, It- erative Temporal Resolution Improve- ment Method (iTRIM) improves tem- poral resolution, which is essential in cardiac imaging. This novel algorithm analyzes the image for fast moving sections and applies an iterative image re- construction when required. This supports diagnosis in demanding situations, for ex- ample when imaging hearts with rapid movements. Inter- leaved Volume Reconstruction (IVR) helps to visualize even very small di- agnostic details using a sophisticated reconstruction algorithm. Taking care of business Money, time, space – the SOMATOM Perspective family saves all, which brings down both capital and oper- ating costs. The speed of installa- tion represents a major plus for the SOMATOM Perspective family. Since the scanner and control room have the smallest footprint of any comparable CT system – just 18.5 square meters (199 square feet) – a SOMATOM Perspective will easily fit into the space of an existing CT, with room to spare. It’s also lightweight: tipping the scales at 1,719 kg (3,790 lbs), whereas conventional CTs can weigh anything from just over two, to nearly three metric tones (4,409–6,613 lbs). Existing CT power sources – rated at 75–150 kVA – can be used because the 4 The features (here mentioned) are not commercially available in the U.S. Due to regulatory reasons their future availability cannot be guaranteed. Please contact your local Siemens organization for further details. 5 In clinical practice, the use of SAFIRE may reduce CT patient dose depending on the clinical task, patient size, anatomical location, and clinical practice. A consultation with a radiologist and a physicist should be made to determine the appropriate dose to obtain diagnostic image quality for the particular clinical task. The following test method was used to determine a 54 to 60% dose reduction when using the SAFIRE reconstruction software. Noise, CT numbers, homogeneity, low-contrast resolution and high contrast resolution were assessed in a Gammex 438 phantom. Low-dose data reconstructed with SAFIRE showed the same image quality compared to full-dose data based on this test. Data on file. A case of lymphoma – VRT image shows multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the mediastinum and great anatomical details in the lungs. Courtesy of Clinique Sainte Marie, Paris, France This case of liver tumor was examined with SOMATOM Perspective. The VRT image high- lights multiple liver lesions and fine details of the mesenteric arteries. Courtesy of Diagnose- zentrum Favoriten, Vienna, Austria

RadBook 2013

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