Philips has secured an FDA clearance for what it describes as the world’s first imager to combine spectral CT with four-dimensional captures in a single scan, with a design specifically targeting the field of radiation oncology.
The company said its Spectral CT 7500 RT system—which is also capable of syncing its operations with the movements of organs related to the patient’s breathing—will help clinicians better visualize tumors and quantify their responses to treatment.
“Tumor delineation, beam attenuation and respiratory motion are critical factors in radiotherapy planning,” Dan Xu, global leader of Philips’ CT business, said in a statement.
Compared to conventional CT scans that rely on a single level of X-ray intensity—including 4D images that account for changes in the body over time—spectral CT employs multiple magnitudes of energy to help clarify the differences between tissues within the final picture.
“The spectral information provided by Spectral CT 7500 RT enhances tissue characterization, enabling wider access to highly personalized and precisely targeted treatment for more patients without adding extra steps to current radiotherapy workflows,” said Xu.
In particular, Philips said that spectral CT can help improve the accuracy in calculating the proton stopping-power properties of layers of tissue—a necessary step in planning precise proton therapy delivery, and doses that avoid damaging healthy cells.