GE HealthCare has raised the curtain on a new CT system with features designed specifically for addressing cardiovascular disease.
The Revolution Vibe scanner includes what the company describes as unlimited one-beat cardiac imaging—capturing low-dose, full-organ pictures fast enough so they can be used to clearly assess moving valves and clogged arteries across the pulsing heart.
Cardiac CT angiography, or CCTA, is used to help diagnose coronary artery disease, and can be employed as a first-line tool for patients suffering from chest pain. GE HealthCare said the Revolution Vibe aims to expand providers’ access to the technique.
“The system is designed to encourage the broader adoption of and access to cardiac imaging, combining advanced technology with AI-powered solutions to deliver fast, accurate diagnoses and a more comfortable patient experience,” Jean-Luc Procaccini, GE HealthCare’s president and CEO of molecular imaging and computed tomography, said in a statement.
The system—which has received a CE Mark approval in Europe and is currently undergoing review at the FDA—was unveiled during the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology being held in Chicago.
At the same time, GE HealthCare used the ACC meeting to announce the U.S. commercial rollout of its Flyrcado PET imaging agent for charting coronary artery disease. The fluorine-18 radiotracer was approved by the FDA last fall.
The company said the injection can help deliver higher diagnostic efficacy compared to single-photon emission computed tomography, or SPECT, as well as myocardial perfusion imaging that traces the flow of blood through the heart muscle.
GE HealthCare said the launch coincides with passthrough payment status from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, effective April 1, with a drug-specific billing code that will allow CMS to pay separately for the radiopharmaceutical and PET-CT scan in the outpatient setting.
The company also noted that it has closed its acquisition of the Japanese radiopharmaceutical maker Nihon Medi-Physics, which was announced last December. GE HealthCare had previously split ownership of the venture 50-50 with Sumitomo Chemical.