New Version of Revolution Apex CT Platform Offers Increased Scalability and Efficiency

With the continued rise of patient volume and increasingly complex cases, an emerging computed tomography (CT) platform may provide a viable solution in radiology departments with built-in scalability for detector upgrades, increased efficiency and other technological advancements.

At the recent Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2021 Annual Meeting, GE Healthcare unveiled a new modular version of the Revolution Apex CT platform that enables clinicians to do on-site upgrades of the device’s Gemstone^TM Clarity Detector for coverage of 40 mm, 80 mm or 160 mm. The system also offers 0.28 second rotation speed with the ability to increase to an 0.23 second rotation speed via an upgrade to Revolution Apex Elite, according to GE Healthcare.

In addition to technology that provides high-definition, low-noise imaging, the Revolution Apex reportedly enhances speed and precision by automating time-consuming tasks prior to, during and after CT scans.

GE Healthcare says the device offers an auto-positioning system, enabled by a 3D camera and an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, that helps ensure optimal patient positioning. Other features of the Revolution Apex include a virtual scan assistant to tailor parameters to patient size and indications, as well as the post-scan ability to simultaneously process multiple reconstruction tasks so clinicians can view the images before the patient leaves the room. GE Healthcare says this is particularly advantageous in cases involving polytrauma workup and asserts that one may rule out acute stroke in less than five minutes.

According to GE Healthcare, other benefits of the Revolution Apex CT platform include:

• High-resolution imaging in patients with heavily calcified coronaries, plaque and stents
• CT planning for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures via a single scan and single injection with low-contrast volume
• Reduced need for table movement or sedation with lowest dose possible

New MRI System May Provide Enhanced Imaging and Reduced Scan Times

GE Healthcare's SIGNA Hero MRI. Image courtesy GE Healthcare.

In addition to advancements in the Revolution Apex CT system, GE Healthcare also introduced SIGNA Hero, a new 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, citing advances in imaging quality, efficiency and patient comfort.

Leveraging AI to bolster image clarity and increase efficiency, the SIGNA Hero device offers AIR Recon DL, a deep learning image reconstruction technology that enables anatomical adaptability and facilitates a 30 to 50 percent reduction in exam times, according to GE Healthcare.

New extensions of this technology, presented at the RSNA conference, include 3D sequences and PROPELLER for motion robustness that reportedly provide “sharper images with better signals in half the time for nearly 90 percent of the daily clinical scans done, regardless of the anatomy being imaged,” according to GE Healthcare.

In combination with the company’s patented AIR Coils, the SIGNA Hero device allow clinicians freedom in positioning the lightweight and flexible coils to help ensure optimal imaging of patients. GE Healthcare says the SIGNA Hero platform enables simultaneous scans of multiple organs with fewer patient adjustments during whole body imaging. The company adds that the device’s One Stop Prostate imaging with AIR Coils and AIR Recon DL make prostate imaging much more comfortable and efficient for patients, allowing for completion of scans in less than 15 minutes.

GE Healthcare notes that the SIGNA Hero device as well as the AIR Recon DL 3D and PROPELLER technologies are currently pending 501(k) approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

For more coverage of RSNA 2021, click here.