CT Software Designed to Improve Patient Care and Workflow While Reducing Dose

Software has been developed that helps reduce patient dose by up to 80% during coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) exams by using a helical acquisition technique to provide one continuous image instead of multiple images produced by the current step-and-shoot techniques.

The software, called SURECardio Prospective, will automatically detect and adjust to patients with arrhythmia, providing faster, more conclusive exam results. SURECardio Prospective automates scan parameters and reconstruction based on the patient's heart rate. It also speeds exam time and eliminates the need to use additional contrast as with the step-and-shoot method.

Toshiba Medical Systems, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for two new CT clinical applications that will improve throughput and enhance workflow, while further reducing contrast and radiation dosage. The applications, SURECardio Prospective and Variable helical pitch (vHP), are available for new Toshiba Aquilion 32- and 64-slice CT systems.

Variable helical pitch (vHP) increases workflow and efficiency by enabling physicians to complete an exam of more than one anatomic region consecutively--i.e., without stopping to change the helical pitch of the exam. Toshiba is the first vendor to introduce this type of technique.

"Previously, if a physician needed to image a patient's heart and body, two separate exams would be needed,” explained Doug Ryan, senior director, CT Business Unit, Toshiba America Medical Systems. "With Toshiba's vHP, the patient's gated heart and nongated body can be imaged during a single exam, reducing patient radiation and contrast dose and saving critical time for the imaging center or hospital. This feature is particularly helpful in trauma centers, when minutes can make a difference in the patient's treatment and recovery.”

vHP also saves time by producing one comprehensive image instead of two separate images that would result from separate scans. This eliminates the task of piecing together separate images. Both clinical applications are available to purchase independently and will be offered with new Toshiba Aquilion 32 and 64 CT systems.


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