The world’s first photon-counting CT scanner, Naeotom Alpha, was delivered by Siemens Healthineers at Cardiomed Medical Center in Târgu Mureș

Siemens Healthineers, leader in advanced medical technology for more than 125 years, delivered for Cardiomed Târgu Mureș, a medical centre specialised in cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment, Naeotom Alpha, a CT with cutting-edge technology, the first to be used in Romania out of the 60 such pieces of equipment that are now in use worldwide.

Photon-counting technology, developed by Siemens Healthineers researchers for Naeotom Alpha, represents the most important discovery since inventing CT imaging, which successfully overcome the limitations of conventional CT scanners. Naeotom Alpha offers high-resolution images, enables clinicians to visualize small lesions and fine details for high diagnostic confidence, at minimal radiation dose. Furthermore, Naeotom Alpha makes it possible to confidently examine previously excluded patients, to perform scans that were not practicable before, and to increase follow‐up frequency if desired.

With Naeotom Alpha, Siemens Healthineers reinvents computed tomography for a more accurate diagnostic, with a low radiation dose

One of the biggest challenges in computed tomography was until recently spatial resolution, the capacity to identify the smallest structures and, at the same time, to identify and separate every two tissues, regardless of how insignificant the differences between them are. Photon-counting technology represents a breakthrough, going from detectors that are scintillating and transforming the light in signal to the QuantaMax detector that is counting each quantum, identifies its energy, and goes directly to signal, obtaining the highest resolution with the lowest possible radiation dose in the lowest acquisition time.

The 0,2 mm resolution reached now by Naeotom Alpha, (versus 0,4-0,6 mm which is the resolution for conventional CT, and which implied exposing the patient to high radiation dose), although an important breakthrough is limited now only by calculation power, the equipment has the capacity in time to go where CT imaging has never gone before. This opens perspectives for research and diagnostics areas that we can’t even imagine today.

“Naeotom Alpha, due to its one-of-a-kind technology, enables the scanning to the lowest radiation dose ever a CT produce. The radiation dose is so low, that goes almost to the level of a radiological scan, while the patient can go to have the investigation without the fear that this will cause him a radiation issue. Naeotom Alpha is the tool that will enable doctors to deliver diagnostics in the most adverse situations when other investigations was required. By using Naeotom Alpha, clinicians are able to confidently pronounce a diagnostic and the therapy can start right away”, says Florin Preoteasa (in opening picture), MR&CT Portfolio Solution Manager at Siemens Healthineers.

Naeotom Alpha, which is going to be used for the first time in Romania at Cardiomed Medical Centre in Târgu Mureș, is a quick and efficient diagnostic equipment with many applications. For instance, in cardiology, an exam of the heart to highlight coronary arteries will be performed in only a few seconds, at any heart rate, and the image obtained will accurately confirm the presence of stenosis pathology all along the blood vessel. Additionally, the evaluation of the true lumen of a vessel is not impaired by the vascular wall.