Around 500 visitors gathered at the 13th SOMATOM World Summit in Singapore to share the latest medical and technical developments in CT imaging. The event was supported by our partner Bayer Healthcare.
Listen. Care. Improve.: A motto set to inspire all at the 13th SOMATOM World Summit. These well-chosen words set precisely the right tone for this prestigious event dedicated to knowledge and best-practice sharing across the various radiology disciplines. Singapore’s national flower, the hybrid orchid Vanda ‘Miss Joaquim’, was the perfect symbol of synergy and resilience.
A balanced conference agenda included not only state-of-the art technology but also addressed sensitive topics such as the future role of artificial intelligence (AI) and the potential of population health management in radiology, including the automatic detection of imaging biomarkers. As André Hartung, CEO of Computed Tomography at Siemens Healthineers, outlined in his short but inspiring welcome speech, the scientific content to be presented over the two-day summit was based entirely on a combined effort between our clinical partners and the Siemens Healthineers CT team.
Naturally, such long-standing partnerships build a solid basis for future development and are a cornerstone of the approach of Siemens Healthineers. An impressive range of experts gave insightful lectures covering the following wide-ranging themes:
1. New trends in CT and the workflow challenge
2. Optimized radiation dose and contrast management
3. Cardiology
4. Vascular imaging
5. Functional imaging with CT
6. Pediatrics
7. Acute Care
8. Oncology
9. Future technologies
Find all speeches here.
In each of these areas, the current medical and technical standpoint was analyzed, explained, and discussed by three to eight clinical experts. Particular focus was placed on workflow optimization in CT imaging given today’s demands on healthcare providers to deliver better outcomes at lower costs. Innovations that support greater efficiency in CT imaging include seamless integration of Dual Energy CT data into the PACS environment and the novel mobile workflow concept engineered for the SOMATOM go. platform. Matthias May, MD, University Hospital Erlangen, reflected on his experience of using the high-resolution tablet and Bluetooth remote control when operating the SOMATOM go. CT scanner, which allows staff to stay with patients for longer.
Traditionally, special emphasis has been given to patient dose management in daily routine and the efficiency of established products such as ADMIRE, high-pitch scanning, Tin Filter, low kV, CARE kV, and dose modulation. For obvious reasons, the Pediatrics session focused especially on low-dose scanning techniques including Dual Energy CT applications. In a presentation by Professor Marilyn J. Siegel, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, Missouri, she nicely summed up her results in assessing the chest-lung perfusion in the title: “The role of Dual Energy in pediatrics is fine”. In the Pediatrics session, several speakers explained the special care necessary for a successful CT scan of our younger patients, including an appropriate child-oriented design of the scan room.
As anticipated, the insightful Cardiology session covered not only the state-of-the-art but also elaborated on the future role of CT imaging including fractional flow reserve (FFR) CT and machine learning using Dual Source CT.
The increasing role of Dual Energy CT scanning techniques based on single source or dual source scanners was outlined in various talks covering the lung, the abdomen, MSK, or explicitly on the visualization of uric acid crystals. Furthermore, the audience learned about the advantages of Dual Energy CT scans in a trauma setting (Thorsten Fleiter, MD, University of Maryland Medical Center on “Full-body Dual Energy CT for fast decision-making”).
As ever, the final session on future technologies was a highlight. Here, the technical background and potential clinical benefits of the innovative photon-counting detector¹ were discussed. These detectors will likely offer numerous advantages including reduced electronic noise, increased spatial resolution, and a capacity for multi-energy CT scans. Investment in this promising new technology, while still far from commercial use, underlines the commitment of Siemens Healthineers to innovation in CT imaging. As Christiane Bernhardt, Head of Sales and Marketing for Siemens Healthineers Computed Tomography, notes: “CT has tremendous potential. Thank you for supporting us on this exciting journey to unleash it”.