GE's LightSpeed VCT 64-slice scanner will be shown at the RSNA meeting for the first time, following the launch of the system in March. GE made the first LightSpeed VCT beta installation in June, and the Waukesha, WI, vendor will demonstrate its progress in dropping the scanner's gantry rotation speed, down to 350 msec.
LightSpeed VCT features a 64-row detector design with 0.625-mm slice widths. The scanner originally was launched with a rotation speed of 400 msec before GE enhanced the system with a 350 msec rotation speed. The scanner features 40 mm of coverage in a single rotation, according to the company.
Realize is a new workflow package that should help LightSpeed VCT owners make the most of their investment in the scanner, according to GE. The company found that many users who upgraded to 16-slice technology from 4-slice scanners weren't changing their imaging protocols to take full advantage of the increased power of the new systems. Realize is designed to address this issue by providing GE training services to help LightSpeed VCT users maximize the clinical and workflow benefits of the system.
GE will enhance Xtream, the package of CT reconstruction and data-processing upgrades introduced in 2003. Called Xtream FX, the new version has improved processing power that enables users to select either an increased frame rate for better visualization of dynamic studies, or faster data reconstruction. Users can increase the frame rate on Xtream FX-enabled CT scanners from 6 frames per second to 16 fps or higher.
As a result of Xtream FX's faster reconstruction speeds, users can now enjoy immediate display of bandwidth-intensive reconstructions like multiplanar reformats. Xtream FX also makes it easier to distribute to other parts of the healthcare enterprise full-motion images of dynamic studies in MPEG and AVI formats. GE has also incorporated workflow enhancements into the Xtream FX upgrade, according to the company.
On the application side, GE will launch Advantage Colon, new software for virtual colonoscopy studies. Advantage Colon allows an exclusive 360-degree dissection view of the colon as an alternative to standard 2D or 3D reading approaches. GE compares Advantage Colon to reading from a scroll, with the technique "virtually unrolling" the colon so the entire colon wall is displayed for the physician.
Finally, GE will increase the slice count on its LightSpeed RT dedicated oncology CT system. LightSpeed RT will now be available with eight slices, up from the 4-slice architecture previously found on the unit. The eight-slice LightSpeed RT will be shown as a work-in-progress.
By Brian Casey
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
November 9, 2004
Copyright © 2004 AuntMinnie.com
