Swedish medical imaging IT and cybersecurity firm Sectra has partnered with Siemens Healthineers to improve radiologists’ diagnostic capabilities and patient care.
The collaboration will focus on integrating Siemens Healthineers’ NAEOTOM Alpha class photon-counting CT (PCCT) images into Sectra’s diagnostic application for radiology.
With the integration, radiologists can access and post-process PCCT images within Sectra’s application, preventing the need to switch to separate applications or workstations.
The NAEOTOM Alpha class photon-counting CT scanners offer contrast-rich images with high spatial resolution at a lower radiation dose.
It is also beneficial for visualising fine details and different tissue types, such as in brain or heart imaging, or in cases where radiation dose is crucial, such as children’s cancer care.
Siemens Healthineers clinical insights and automation project lead Nena Stephan said: “After three years of transforming medical imaging with photon-counting CT, we are now taking the next step in enhancing diagnostic capabilities.
“The partnership with Sectra will ensure that advanced interactive spectral capability can be seamlessly accessible within radiologists’ existing workflows on Sectra PACS, without adding data management complexities.
“Interactive Spectral Imaging with NAEOTOM Alpha datasets unlocks the full diagnostic potential within every photon-counting CT scan, empowering radiologists to make more confident and precise decisions by enabling the interactive and customizable visualisation of tissue spectral characteristics.
“Ultimately, this leads to faster and more accurate diagnoses, resulting in improved outcomes and better care for patients globally.”
Sectra said the spectral information contained in the images could only be fully utilised through Siemens Healthineers’ enterprise reading and reporting solution.
With the integration, the Swedish company’s PACS users can now use Siemens Healthineers’ tools for spectral post-processing, for comprehensive diagnostic assessments.
Sectra’s enterprise imaging diagnostic application for radiology is part of its imaging software subscription, which offers a single strategy for all imaging needs, at low operational costs.
Furthermore, the scalable and modular solution allows healthcare providers to expand from ology to ology and from enterprise to enterprise, said the Swedish company.
Sectra president and CEO Torbjörn Kronander said: “Radiologists need access to all relevant images and tools in one application to work efficiently and make informed decisions.
“With increasing workloads and a shortage of radiologists, efficient workflows have never been more critical. Despite sometimes competing, both Sectra and Siemens Healthineers believe that the end-user workflow is what drives us the most.
“This cooperation is valuable for radiologists as well as patients. We also think that integrating and collaborating with each other will speed up clinical adoption of new technologies in healthcare as well as reduce the enormous workload in hospitals.”
