GE Healthcare Announces New Cyclotron, PET/CT Systems and AI-Based Reconstruction Technology at SNMMI 2024

As the positive and exponential rise of Theranostics drives greater demand for these radioisotopes (or tracers), the limitations of traditionally used generators have created serious challenges for clinicians and limited patient access.

In response, GE HealthCare announced MINItrace Magni, currently in development, designed to be a small footprint, cost effective cyclotron for reliable, in-house production of commercial PET tracers and radiometals – like Gallium-68 – through solid target technology. When produced in combination with the company’s TRACERcenter –which is designed to serve as a complete PET radiopharmacy solution – the resulting radiopharmaceuticals can help physicians identify and diagnose clinical signs across care areas – including oncology, cardiology, and neurology.

Adoption of such easy-to-site, easy-to-install technology may help enhance the capabilities of the healthcare system, but also grant clinicians the ability to offer a variety of tracers to their patients and encourage the practice of precision care locally, helping fuel inhouse Theranostics capabilities.  

“It’s not enough to develop cutting-edge solutions if they aren’t also made more accessible to clinicians and patients around the world,” shares Jean-Luc Procaccini, President & CEO, Molecular Imaging & Computed Tomography, GE HealthCare. “While there is still much work to be done, we are proud to offer a variety of technologies that can evolve with healthcare system needs and help support a patient’s entire care journey – from the systems required to create the radiotracers used to diagnose and monitor disease, to the imaging equipment used for a noninvasive look at a patient’s anatomy and treatment monitoring, to the so ware optimized to measure lesion size and dose. In the hands of clinicians, these tools help make the practice of precision care more accessible and aim to help improve patient outcomes globally.”

GE HealthCare also designs its systems with accessibility and longevity in mind, recognizing that once a system is acquired for a community, it will be depended on for many years to come.

To this end, GE HealthCare is excited to broaden its Omni platform with Omni Legend 21 cm, a performance-focused PET/CT that is designed to evolve and help meet growing healthcare system demands across care areas, including: striking image quality in oncology; an ability to accommodate increasing PET amyloid imaging volume related to Alzheimer's diagnosis in neurology; and impressive imaging of a variety of cardiac tracers, including fast decay tracers and new tracers in cardiology. Omni Legend 21 is CE Marked and pending FDA 510(k) and Canadian law clearances.

These abilities are supported by the system’s innovative 21 cm digital detector designed for augmented NEMA sensitivity, in combination with deep learning reconstruction capabilities, advanced digital solutions, and enhanced workflow offerings powered by AI. As a result, Omni Legend is designed to enable clinicians reduce the dose by up to 40% while maintaining exceptional image quality. Effortless Workflow, an AI based patient Auto Positioning solution, also helps address operational and staffing shortage challenges.

Additionally, the Omni platform is scalable, allowing radiology departments and healthcare facilities to upgrade the hardware and add service lines to help meet growing demand as well as optimize clinical capabilities, ensure access to the latest technology, and accommodate evolving community needs for many years to come.

GE HealthCare also offers Omni Legend mobile, an all-in-one portable PET/CT solution that makes the company’s impressive Omni Legend system available to regional or local scan centers and hospitals, helping increase access and reduce the amount of travel required for more vulnerable or remote patient communities.

Also revealed for the first time at #SNMMI24 and pending regulatory clearances, Clarify DL represents a new deep-learning reconstruction technology trained on bone SPECT images to establish a network designed to reduce noise while maintaining contrast. The result is an AI-powered solution designed to deliver clear, accurate, and effortless imaging – a stark contrast to today’s noise reduction techniques, which typically lower contrast and resolution and may impact accuracy and diagnostic confidence.

The new AI-based solution is designed for GE HealthCare’s cutting-edge StarGuide digital SPECT/CT. The system’s 12 CZT detector design not only scans patients in 3D to provide more information to clinicians but is also optimized for certain theragnostic procedures, which in turn helps clinicians pinpoint the size, shape, and position of lesions with exceptional accuracy. It also helps clinicians evaluate the success of therapies and need for treatment follow up.

StarGuide also offers several additional innovations, such as flexibility in patient scanning, workflow efficiencies that help reduce complexities and processing time in Theranostics as well as scanning protocols, such as Dynamic SPECT imaging.

“Theranostics is awesome – it’s a life extender,” shares Doug, a Theranostics patient scanned on BAMF Health’s StarGuide system. “This is nothing short of a miracle. I can’t believe we’re seeing this in our lifetime.”