FDA Approves 16-, 32-Slice CT by Siemens

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the 16- and 32- slice iterations of the Siemens’ SOMATOM Perspective computed tomography (CT) system.

The SOMATOM Perspective, which is designed for community and critical access hospitals and outpatient imaging centers, helps facilities extend the range of available examinations to patients at reduced radiation dose and lower total costs of ownership, Siemens said.

The 16- and 32-slice versions of the SOMATOM Perspective include the option of upgrading to the system’s 64- and 128-slice configurations (available since 2012), which provides the opportunity for the system to be used with patients and studies of varying needs. The system complies with the NEMA XR-29 Smart Dose standard.

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_crop","fid":"24491","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image media-image-right","id":"media_crop_9970013744888","media_crop_h":"180","media_crop_image_style":"-1","media_crop_instance":"2119","media_crop_rotate":"0","media_crop_scale_h":"0","media_crop_scale_w":"0","media_crop_w":"275","media_crop_x":"1","media_crop_y":"2","style":"height: 131px; width: 200px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 1px; float: right;","title":" ","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]A 16-slice system is a good option for facilities that have a high volume of routine scanning. The system is also suitable for routine oncology scans and head, neck, lung and abdominal imaging. The Perspective 16 may also help clinicians ensure delivery of pain-relieving analgesics to the correct location during surgery, Siemens said. The 32-slice configuration is designed for more detailed imaging for bone fractures, inner ear examinations and vascular applications.

Both 16- and 32-slice configurations include the Siemens’ Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction (SAFIRE) algorithm, which is an iterative CT reconstruction method based on raw data. This algorithm provides the user flexibility in reducing patient dose by as much as 60 percent as compared to previous filtered back projection techniques or improve image quality correspondingly, Siemens announced.

The SOMATOM Perspective series has additional features in the eCockpit, which features technologies to enhance the longevity of the X-ray tube, the scanner’s most expensive and fragile component. eCockpit’s eMode automatically selects scan parameters in an effort to reduce wear and tear of the X-ray tube; eStart is included to provide a smoother start up time during lulls in the day; and eSleep, which is designed to stop the X-ray tube detector inside the gantry from spinning when the scanner is not being used, Siemens said.

“With these new 16- and 32-slice versions of the SOMATOM Perspective, Siemens is helping facilities increase their ability to accommodate more patients or to replace outdated technology with a solution that delivers the latest, dose-reducing and workflow-enhancing technologies at an ideal total cost of ownership,” Murat Gungor, vice president, CT and radiation oncology business management, Siemens Healthcare, said in a release.