GE offers dedicated cardiac SPECT

GE Medical Systems showed details of a new dual-head single-photonemission computed tomography camera dedicated to cardiology imagingapplications at the American Heart Association meeting last month.The vendor will have the fixed-detector unit, dubbed Optima, ondisplay at the RSNA show this week.

The cardiac system can be used for some general SPECT workbut will not perform whole-body imaging as do other dual-detectorSPECT units with opposing heads. Optima's detectors are fixedtogether at a 90´ angle.

"The two heads are fixed rigidly to maintain accurate,precise alignment. This allows the customer to do 180´ SPECTin half the time of current single-head systems," said KarenS. Sargent, product manager. "This system is optimized forcustomers who want to streamline their cardiac practice."

Most SPECT perfusion studies are performed using 180´detector rotation. The fixed detector alignment of Optima as wellas automated quality control and patient setup procedures willimprove the routines of existing cardiac practices, she said.