GE introduces new PET/CT

Discovery PET/CT 600 debuted at the RSNA meeting, taking a midtier position in GE Healthcare’s family of hybrid devices. Discovery PET/CT 600 uses an infrared tracking camera and reflective marker to measure a patient’s respiratory pattern and range of motion that can complicate imaging and lead to problems in evaluating patients for radiation therapy. The real-time position-management technology, developed by Varian Medical Systems, was integrated into the GE device through a partnership between the two firms. Synchronizing the scan with respiration requires substantial processing power, according to GE. The company met the challenge through a collaboration with IBM, which provided its BladeCenter server technology for use in the PET/CT.