Cardiac Imaging

The heart of a patient deserves an absolute understanding. In molecular imaging this is known as a true discovery. It’s the type of discovery that provides reproducible evidence to permit greater understanding. And with its ability to make visible what could normally be invisible, it’s the type of discovery molecular imaging is uniquely positioned to enable.

The search for true discovery is at the heart of nuclear cardiology. In the case of coronary artery disease, a true discovery can be the difference between an accurate diagnosis and a missed opportunity. Especially in the presence of triple vessel or microvascular disease, where traditional SPECT technologies have had proven limitations.

To make a true discovery in nuclear cardiology, you require more than a clear picture of a patient’s heart. You need measurable information and the technology and applications to leverage the data you acquire. This is what enables a greater understanding of a heart’s function.

With your guidance, we designed a nuclear cardiac portfolio to meet the needs of your practice. Based on breakthrough Alcyone technology, Discovery™ NM530c is the foundation of our nuclear cardiac portfolio. Its cardiac-optimized camera and detectors enable high quality cardiac images in less time and with less dose. And with the Alcyone CFR application, you can generate the quantitative information you require to help guide your clinical decisions.

Our Ventri™ system was designed with an open architecture. It gives you the technology you need to start cardiac imaging today with an easy upgrade path to Discovery NM530c as your nuclear cardiology practice grows.

Discovery NM530c with CZT-based Alcyone technology is a nuclear cardiac system with the revolutionary capabilities you told us you needed.

It improves both the patient experience and your productivity with scans as fast as three minutes and the flexibility to choose between dose reduction, faster acquisitions or improved statistics. In addition, its stationary system design virtually eliminates the risk of motion artifacts due to patient movement between projections associated with conventional gamma cameras. Alcyone technology provides a four-fold increase in sensitivity. And the camera’s 3D dynamic acquisitions enable the potential for new clinical applications.

Discovery NM530c is part of our commitment to pioneering technologies that enable you to change the way healthcare is delivered to your patients.

See how Discovery NM530c is revolutionizing nuclear cardiology by visiting our Clinical Image Library.

The guiding principle behind Discovery NM530c’s technology and system design was to focus on the heart. This principle is evident in everything from the excellent energy and spatial resolution of its CZT detector technology, to its strategically positioned pinhole collimators, to its stationary system design with as many detectors as close to the heart as possible.

Discovery NM530c’s breakthrough Alcyone technology enables it to be a fully-stationary system. This is key to its ability to focus on the heart and enable a reduction in acquisition time translating to reduced risk of motion artifacts associated with patient movement. This is possible with two key innovations: CZT detectors and multi-pinhole collimators.

CZT detectors significantly improve resolution by directly converting gamma rays into digital signals, eliminating the need for photomultiplier tubes. This enables the compact detector design needed to configure multiple detectors next to one another for a simultaneous multi-view acquisition. In addition, its unique multi-pinhole collimators are positioned to encompass the heart. This provides a “quality field of view” that focuses on cardiac anatomy and pathology with great clarity and speed.

Alcyone CFR is an advanced quantitative application included in our Xeleris™ 4.0 workstation. It leverages the high sensitivity of Alcyone technology to bring measurable results to the heart. It calculates coronary flow reserve and myocardial blood flow from a dynamic SPECT acquisition. In addition, it delivers absolute quantitative results for both global and regional blood flow.

Fully-stationary acquisitions reduce motion artifacts

 Shorter exam times reduce the frequency and magnitude of artifacts caused by patient motion or physiological changes

Proprietary, fully-3D iterative reconstruction is optimized for the best results in each clinical protocol

CZT detectors provide exceptional spatial and energy resolution

Multi-pinhole collimation improves sensitivity and detection efficiency

Increased sensitivity can be used to reduce dose, increase statistics or speed up acquisition times

Exceptional energy resolution for improved image quality and multi-isotope imaging opportunities

ALCYONE TECHNOLOGY

Focused collimation gives you more information in less time.

Alcyone technology uses focused multi-pinhole collimation to improve sensitivity and detection efficiency¹. This GE exclusive design features an array of multi-pinhole collimators strategically positioned to view a specific body segment. With all pinholes focused on this segment – a volume large enough to encompass the heart – Alcyone delivers a “quality field of view” that focuses on cardiac anatomy and pathology with greater clarity and speed.

Alcyone External CTAC is an optional application where external CT scanner data can be used for the Attenuation Correction (AC) of the Emission data. The attenuation maps are built from the nominal CT slices by the Attenuation Correction QC (ACQC) application that is integrated into the Myovation application.

The Alcyone Dynamic Analysis Tool optional application assists with flow measurement of dynamic SPECT & Planar Alcyone images and allows display, fit and export time activity curves (TAC) based on a two-dimensional (2D) region of interest (ROI) of reconstructed data. If Input datasets include a myocardial polar map, the application will export mean values of the polar map regions.

Discovery NM530c with Alcyone technology brings together innovative solutions in technology and design. It has the potential to redefine how the heart is studied, while expanding your nuclear cardiology practice with tools for productivity, clinical versatility and investment protection.

In addition, Discovery NM530c gives you highly versatile capabilities, enabling you to acquire more data and do more with it. You can assure adequate information density with personalized acquisitions that stop on a desired number of counts. Look at the sum of accepted and rejected beats during gated scans to eliminate the effects of gating errors. And you can review list mode data, so you can go back and explore patient data in new ways.

Improve patient experience with up to four times lower injected dose¹

 Provide shorter, more tolerable exams for greater patient comfort with scans as fast as three minutes

Expand the confidence in, and size of, your nuclear cardiology practice

Research the development of more efficient protocols with Alcyone CFR to explore the potential for stress-only acquisitions, dose reduction techniques and prognostic improvements

Ventri was designed from the ground up for your nuclear cardiology success. It was designed to accommodate patients of all shapes and sizes with exceptional image quality and a wide range of user-friendly features for technologists. All on a system with a small footprint, that is easy to install and can grow with your needs if you decide to upgrade to our latest CZT-based nuclear cardiology platform.

With specially designed tables and a large 70 cm bore, Ventri was designed to comfortably accommodate a wide range of patient sizes.

Comfortably accommodate large patients with a 70 cm bore

 Increase patient comfort with head, arm and leg supports designed to help minimize joint strain and allow for more natural positioning

Reduce patient anxiety with a detector and gantry design that gives patients a clear view throughout the cardiac scan

Protect your investment with a digital-ready system and an easy upgrade path to Discovery NM530c to deliver CZT-based Alcyone technology

Improve your capital efficiency with a small system footprint that fits within compact spaces

Streamline workflow from patient selection to image processing with standard Ignite workflow automation

Immediately put your investment to work with a quick, two-day installation time

¹As compared to conventional technology.