New CT Platform Released by GE Healthcare Featuring Built-in Scalability
A new platform, Revolution Apex, was introduced at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America by GE Healthcare. With built-in scalability, it can be upgraded from 40mm to 80mm to 160mm coverage without gantry replacement. It is the first computed tomography (CT) platform to offer such unparalleled clinical capabilities. Through a modular design, the updated Revolution Apex platform allows radiology departments to keep up with the latest technology. Through this system, continuously scalable hardware and software is supported for years to come, extending the useful life of CT systems.
Johan de Mey, MD, PhD, Chair of Radiology at University Hospital Brussels in Belgium, said this:
“I have to look to how to spend money in the right way. It’s quite important to make good decisions to get the most advanced technology. In the past, we kept machines as long as possible, and we upgraded them with software. But if the hardware was obsolete, we removed it from the hospital. With the Apex, we have a platform with the latest technology and can easily upgrade as our clinical practice evolves. Additionally, if you have a machine that’s upgradable, you already know how to use it. You can immediately start doing exams on a higher level. And if you’re on the edge of research, this is huge. Being able to upgrade and work on the same platform and technology is much faster. For us, it’s a big win.”
Radiology departments face unprecedented pressure today. In addition to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the volume of patients is steadily increasing, and so is the volume of images, all of which place significant strain on CT departments.
In the past, CT technologies would be introduced every 4-5 years, although today, new solutions are generally released on an annual basis. Modern engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing have accelerated the rate at which innovation has taken place today, and as a result, CT technology is becoming obsolete more rapidly than ever.
Bearing this challenge in mind, a modular CT system was designed by GE Healthcare which facilitates hardware scalability, meaning radiology departments and hospitals can include service lines to adapt to evolving patient requirements.
In this approach, the Gemstone Clarity Detector of the Revolution Apex platform is the foundation. Users are able to increase their service line from a 40mm to a 160mm detector, and a 0.28 to 0.23 second rotation, which is the fastest gantry speed in the world. Keeping up with the latest technology enables hospitals to optimize clinical capabilities now and in the future, while minimizing technology obsolescence. Streamlining fleet management also reduces operating costs and improves budgetary management.
GE Healthcare’s Revolution Apex platform also features the Quantix X-ray tube, a powerful tube designed to deliver the output required for comfortable imaging of all patient anatomies, regardless of the patient’s size.
© GE Healthcare
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