GE HealthCare gets FDA clearance for AI-powered image technology

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GE HealthCare has announced that the Food and Drug Administration has granted clearance for its Aurora nuclear medicine system and Clarify DL, an AI-powered deep learning image reconstruction technology for radiation therapy.

A SPECT-CT scan combines images or pictures from two different types of scans to provide precise information about how different parts of the body are working and more clearly identify problems.

Aurora’s new dual-head SPECT/CT system combines the imaging techniques of a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) to enhance diagnostic capabilities. Clarify DL improves bone SPECT image quality without increasing the injected dose or scan period. 

WHY THIS MATTERS

The technology streamlines workflows, offering clinicians greater image quality and operational efficiency, GE HealthCare said.

University Hospitals in Cleveland is the inaugural healthcare system in the country to install the company’s technology, according to GE HealthCare.

“Aurora’s seamless integration of SPECT and CT components will allow us to perform comprehensive, high-quality diagnostic exams in a single session, while its support of Clarify DL deep-learning image reconstruction enables enhanced image quality performance,” said Dr. Donna Plecha, the Ida and Irwin Haber and Wei-Shen Chin Chair of the Department of Radiology at University Hospitals Medical Center.

Aurora is equipped with a collection of Effortless Workflow solutions to help ease technologists’ work from pre-scan to post-scan with various automation and design innovations as well as help enhance patient comfort – including those with high BMI.

Leveraging advanced deep learning technology – a type of artificial intelligence – Clarify DL works to enhance bone SPECT image quality performance.

In a clinical evaluation, Clarify DL’s image resolution was rated as better in 98% of the exams, demonstrating its potential to transform nuclear medicine bone SPECT imaging diagnostics, GE HealthCare said. 

Unlike traditional noise reduction techniques that may compromise contrast and resolution, Clarify DL is designed to optimize reconstruction without sacrificing image quality.

THE LARGER TREND

As healthcare continues to shift toward precision medicine and personalized care, clinicians require more advanced SPECT/CT solutions that provide greater diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, GE HealthCare said. 

The ability to monitor and help tailor treatments to individual patients depends on high-quality imaging that can detect subtle disease markers. 

Aurora and Clarify DL integrate into various clinical settings, ensuring that hospitals and imaging centers can adopt them without disrupting existing workflows.

ON THE RECORD

“Patient flow and overall operational efficiency are crucial for us, making Aurora the ideal choice to help meet our needs,” Percival Kane, COO, University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center, explained. “Additionally, we’re excited that Aurora’s Revolution Ascend CT technology matches what is used in our radiology department daily.”

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