October 20, 2015 — In October, Siemens Healthcare debuted a host of imaging systems that enable radiation therapy (RT) professionals to go further in the direction of personalized therapy. At this year’s show, Siemens displayed a complete portfolio of computed tomography (CT), CT sliding gantry, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT systems designed for RT professionals with the company’s syngo.via multimodality reading solution. Further bolstered by its longstanding strategic global partnership with Varian Medical Systems, Siemens is equipped to enable healthcare facilities to provide truly personalized patient care in an efficient manner.
Biograph RT Pro edition for PET/CT
The new RT Pro edition of Siemens’ Biograph mCT family of PET/CT systems provides a comprehensive solution for RT treatment planning in PET/CT. Similar to the RT Pro edition of the Somatom Definition AS Open CT system, Biograph RT Pro edition helps improve patient outcomes with fine image detail for better tumor delineation with HD FoV Pro, an algorithm that uses intelligent contour and attenuation estimation to improve visibility beyond the scan field of view, and iMAR (iterative metal artifact reduction), which is designed to yield images with reduced metal artifacts. The system’s full suite of motion management technologies improves clinicians’ ability to correlate tumor position during the respiratory cycle for precise therapy planning, with an integrated user interface between PET and CT that allows for time-, phase- and amplitude-based gating. Siemens’ exclusive FlowMotion continuous bed motion technology offers CT-like acquisition, enabling RT departments to deliver organ-focused PET imaging. The advanced modeling of Siemens’ optional ADMIRE (Advanced Modeled Iterative Reconstruction) CT algorithm delivers superb image detail, delineation and sharpness of organ borders. The optional TwinBeam Dual Energy feature permits simultaneous acquisition of tissue data from high- and low-energy spectra.
Siemens also showcased the Biograph RT edition offered on the new Biograph Horizon PET/CT system – an entry-level, 16-slice scanner with a 70 cm bore that features the foundational imaging technology available on Siemens’ premium PET/CT systems. The Biograph RT edition also includes several key features found on the Biograph RT Pro edition, including iMAR and respiratory gating. Additionally, both the Biograph RT Pro and Biograph RT editions present solutions for nuclear medicine physicians looking to provide a service line to the radiation oncology department.
The Biograph Horizon PET/CT system is pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance and is not yet commercially available in the United States.
Varian’s RGSC for respiratory-gated image acquisition
The Siemens ASTRO booth also showcased the combination of Siemens’ PET/CT technology with the new Respiratory Gating for Scanners (RGSC) from Varian Medical Systems. Based on respiratory gating technology developed by Varian for its TrueBeam radiotherapy system, the RGSC helps to synchronize the workflow between diagnostic imaging and respiratory-gated treatment delivery. The RGSC’s optional Video Coaching Device provides the patient with real-time feedback on his or her breathing pattern. This information supports consistent breathing for higher-quality images that correspond to a particular phase in the breathing cycle, particularly important during imaging to effectively treat tumors that move as the patient breathes.
syngo.via RT Image Suite software
The new syngo.via RT Image Suite software solution is designed to help radiation oncologists develop a comprehensive understanding of the patient by supporting a wide range of images, including MRI, CT, PET/CT, and cone beam CT – and to subsequently contour tumors and organs-at-risk efficiently.
Based on Siemens' syngo.via image viewing and processing software, syngo.via RT Image Suite has been developed to accommodate the increasing number and diversity of images used in radiation oncology, enabling the simultaneous display of up to eight fused image series on up to four image panels. Tumors can be contoured quickly, even in moving 4-D CT datasets for the lungs. And if an adaption of therapy is necessary during treatment, the software application is designed to support rapid recontouring. Images and contours created in syngo.via RT Image Suite can then be transferred to treatment planning systems such as Varian’s Eclipse for dosimetric planning.
CT simulation and in-room proton therapy research
Also at ASTRO 2015, Siemens showcased the Somatom Definition Edge CT system with optional TwinBeam Dual Energy to explore CT’s future in radiation therapy research as well as its role in the rapidly growing field of proton therapy. The system enables access to functional information via CT perfusion to explore both qualitative and quantitative information regarding tumor vascularity. The simultaneous acquisition of high- and low-energy spectra facilitates investigation of research applications. The syngo.via-based syngo.CT Dual Energy Rho/Z application of the Somatom Definition Edge provides patient-specific information regarding electron density and the effective atomic number, which can be used for dosimetric research. Additionally, the syngo.CT Monoenergetic application enables the reconstruction of CT images at different energies with the goal of investigating improvements in consistent tumor delineation.
Since proton therapy is sensitive to any uncertainties that are introduced during treatment planning and delivery, dual energy’s Rho/Z-based information – which provides precise, patient-specific data on tissue composition – could be invaluable. With the specially designed “in-room PT” option, the Somatom CT Sliding Gantry, or CT-on-rails, of the system brings those dual energy capabilities to the treatment bunker.
New RT Dot engine for MRI
For the established Magnetom RT Pro Edition, Siemens introduces its new RT Dot (Day optimizing throughput) engine, which is FDA 510(k) pending. In addition to offering a tailored set of user protocols and functionalities, the RT Dot engine provides radiation oncology users with step-by-step guidance, addressing a growing demand in the RT community to smoothly incorporate MRI into the RT workflow.
New syngo.via Frontier prototype for MR-only simulation in research
Siemens also introduced a new prototype for MR-only simulation on its syngo.via Frontier research platform. This research-only prototype supports the investigation of MR-only planning – an approach that potentially could eliminate the need for an additional CT scan and increase workflow efficiency by creating CT-like images.
For more information: www.siemens.com
April 10, 2024 
