Siemens Healthineers announces the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance of the NAEOTOM Alpha, the world’s first photon-counting computed tomography (CT) scanner. With a novel system concept and pioneering new detector technology, it ushers in the new era of CT, a technology that determines the course of many medical decisions. Thanks to the revolutionary images provided by photon-counting CTs, more people all over the world will benefit from precise and comprehensive examinations at low radiation and contrast dose – from oncological procedures and heart diagnostics to lung follow-up checks for respiratory illnesses.
The centerpiece of this innovation is the new photon-counting detector, which has an active detection layer consisting of a cadmium telluride one crystal (CdTe) and offers clear advantages over conventional CT detectors. Standard CT detectors convert X-rays in a two-step process, first into visible light that is subsequently detected by a light sensor, ultimately producing the final image. Due to this intermediate step, important information about the energy of the X-rays is lost and no longer available to aid in diagnosis; contrast is reduced, and images lack clarity. The photon-counting CT detector developed by Siemens Healthineers no longer converts the X-rays into visible light. The X-ray photons are converted directly into completely digital electrical signals and then counted without information loss. This adds a wealth of completely new, clinically relevant information and improves image sharpness and contrast.
“About 15 years ago, work on photon counting and its clinical vision started at Siemens Healthineers. We always believed in the tremendous clinical value and relentlessly worked on it together with our partners. We are excited that we have received FDA clearance,” said André Hartung, Head of Diagnostic Imaging at Siemens Healthineers.
Press pictures are available at:
https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/press/releases/naeotomfda.
Link to the FDA press release:
The company will have more to share about this leap in computed tomography at its Nov. 15 Siemens Healthineers SHAPE 22 Event at:
https://events.siemens-healthineers.com/shape21
Three Siemens Healthineers CT experts were recently nominated for the German Future Award for the development of photon-counting CT. For more information, please see:
https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/press/features/photoncounting
Contact for journalists
Jeff Bell
Phone: (484) 868-8346; E-mail: jeffrey.t.bell@siemens-healthineers.com
Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the
future of healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in
Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide
through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their
journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery,
improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens
Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with
AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly
important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new
applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostics,
image-guided therapy, in-vivo diagnostics, and innovative cancer care. Siemens
Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance
healthcare providers’ ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to
patients. In fiscal 2020, which ended on September 30, 2020, Siemens
Healthineers generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted EBIT of €2.2
billion. Following the acquisition of Varian Medical Systems, Inc. the company
has approximately 66,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available
at www.siemens-healthineers.com.
