UW Medicine and GE HealthCare announce a strategic research collaboration to accelerate the science and clinical practice of diagnostic imaging and personalized care

• The UW Medicine Radiology and GE HealthCare research collaboration aims to create a seamless diagnostic imaging experience for patients and optimize workflows for clinicians.
• Through evidence-based outcomes, the research team plans to advance personalized care models for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other widespread illnesses to help enable improved diagnosis and treatment.

CHICAGO, IL — May XX, 2026 — The University of Washington Department of Radiology (UW Medicine Radiology) and GE HealthCare have launched a strategic research collaboration focused on advancing computed tomography (CT) and molecular imaging (MI) technologies to automate workflows for cardiology, oncology and theranostics. The project team aims to accelerate research and clinical translation of pioneering medical imaging techniques, driving innovation to address today’s clinical needs, streamlining diagnostic imaging and introducing the next wave of precise, personalized care.

“As demand for imaging grows and patient cases become increasingly complex, it’s critical that we continue to advance innovation in radiology to ensure timely, high-quality diagnostic care,” said Dushyant Sahani, Professor and Chairman of University of Washington Medicine Department of Radiology. “This project enables us to integrate GE HealthCare’s tools into imaging workflows that can help enable us to drive more meaningful data from scans to better inform clinical decisions.”

“We’re at a pivotal moment in academic radiology where rising pressures are challenging how we advance research and deliver care,” said Paul Kinahan, Vice Chair for Research and Professor of Radiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “Our collaboration with GE HealthCare allows us to take a more data-driven approach to imaging in ways that can improve efficiency and sustain innovation to ensure new discoveries are translated into clinical practice.”

The strategic research collaboration expands on a 30-year relationship between UW Medicine Radiology and GE HealthCare rooted in scientific leadership in the fields of CT and MI. The organizations have worked together on over 80 collaborative research projects and more than 100 academic publications. For example, UW Medicine Radiology provided clinical input on earlier iterations of GE HealthCare’s Discovery PET/CT imaging solution[1] and the collaboration has continued into the current Omni PET/CT platform. UW also evaluated how to remove the need for electrocardiogram (ECG) traces in cardiac CT procedures[2] to support GE HealthCare’s ECG-less Cardiac CT,  ensuring real-world clinical needs are at the center. This new endeavor has the potential to further advance more efficient diagnostic imaging workflows globally.

“By reimagining imaging workflows through innovation, we hope to make precise, personalized care more accessible,” stated Erin Angel, PhD, GE HealthCare Global Vice President, Research and Scientific Affairs. “Together, we’re building a research program that advances imaging science while delivering real-world impact — streamlining workflows, accelerating evidence generation, and ensuring every patient receives the right care at the right time.”

“Molecular imaging and CT continue to come together in ways that are reshaping how clinicians detect and characterize disease across the patient journey,” said Jean‑Luc Procaccini, President & CEO, Molecular Imaging & Computed Tomography, GE HealthCare. “Our collaboration with UW Medicine Radiology is helping accelerate this progress by advancing technologies designed to deliver deeper, more actionable insights from every scan—supporting greater precision for clinicians today and driving the next generation of imaging innovation.”

The UW Medicine Radiology and GE HealthCare research partnership is characterized by two key pillars, the work of which could transform how CT and MI are used in research, diagnosis and treatment to meet the needs of changing patient care.

CT

• The CT program is dedicated to advancing the science and clinical practice of CT imaging through research, collaboration and education to help improve how care is delivered. This initiative is designed to:
  • Pursue clinical evidence to drive the adoption of new spectral imaging technologies.
  • Optimize CT workflows through automation and software solutions to help clinicians work more efficiently and improve experiences for patients.

MI and theranostics

• The MI and theranostics program aims to accelerate personalized cancer care by combining innovative diagnostic imaging methods, AI-enabled software solutions, and radiopharmaceuticals to accelerate precision care and help clinicians make timely, informed decisions for diagnoses. The project team plans to:
  • Develop clinical evidence to drive the adoption of innovative imaging techniques and protocols into emerging models of cancer care.
  • Utilize deep learning technology to potentially enhance clinical decision making, treatment planning and clinical trial matching for patients to help ensure they receive exceptional care.
  • Collaborate on the development of novel imaging solutions and advanced image processing techniques for oncology that support precise, personalized care.

The research collaboration work will take place at the University of Washington Medicine Department of Radiology facilities in Seattle, Washington.

[1] Macdonald, L. R., Schmitz, R. E., Alessio, A. M., Wollenweber, S. D., Stearns, C. W., Ganin, A., Harrison, R. L., Lewellen, T. K., & Kinahan, P. E. (2008). Measured count-rate performance of the Discovery STE PET/CT scanner in 2D, 3D and partial collimation acquisition modes. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 53(14), 3723–3738. https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/53/14/002

[2] Thomsen, B., Nabipoor, A., Asadian, S., Reiser, I., Cotella, J., Okerlund, D., Challman, M., Landeras, L., & Chalian, H. (2025). Coronary computed tomography angiography without ECG leads: A feasibility study. Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1067/j.cpradiol.2025.04.019