Philips Unveils Breakthrough Imaging Innovations at RSNA 2013

Chicago (ots/PRNewswire) -

Developed in collaboration with leading clinicians, Philips'
Vereos digital PET/CT system and IQon Spectral CT system[1] are
designed to create a short path to the best care and help improve
patient care

At the 99th Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North
America (RSNA) in Chicago, Royal Philips today illustrated its
technology leadership in medical imaging with the introduction of two
fundamentally new developments: its Vereos PET/CT [http://www.health
care.philips.com/us_en/clinicalspecialities/Radiology/Solutions/vereo
s.html ] fully digital positron emission tomography/computed
tomography (PET/CT) imaging system, and its IQon Spectral CT[1]
spectral detector-based computed tomography (CT) imaging system.

These new innovations further expand Philips' integrated radiology
product portfolio to deliver advanced image quality, critical
information and connectivity for seamless real-time collaboration
among clinicians and fast, confident decision making. Philips
partners with clinicians to drive the clinical performance and
economic value of its solutions to find the shortest path to the best
care with the most efficient use of resources.

"We work closely with radiologists to understand their biggest
challenges, and incorporate these understandings in the development
of innovative products like Vereos PET/CT and IQon Spectral CT to
meet their complex imaging needs," said Gene Saragnese, CEO, Imaging
Systems at Philips Healthcare. "These innovations demonstrate how
Philips is providing radiologists with exceptional quality and
accuracy in imaging at low dose rates, helping clinicians to get
answers, the first time around, so that they can deliver accurate and
more confident diagnoses to patients."

"The timing and precision of disease diagnosis are critical to the
successful treatment of many diseases," commented Pablo Ros, M.D.,
Chairman of the Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case
Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
"With that in mind, we are excited to have contributed to the
development of Philips' Vereos digital PET/CT and IQon Spectral CT
systems and we will continue to collaborate with Philips to realize
the potential of these next generation imaging systems."

Vereos PET/CT

PET scans are three-dimensional images that provide insight into
what is happening inside the body at the molecular and cellular
level. A small amount of radiotracer is injected into the patient
prior to the exam, which accumulates in the body's tissue and organs,
and decays. The PET detector captures pairs of photons that are
emitted from the body during this decay process and forms the image.
Based on Philips' proprietary 'Digital Photon Counting' technology,
the Vereos PET/CT [http://www.healthcare.philips.com/us_en/clinicals
pecialities/Radiology/Solutions/vereos.html ] is the first PET/CT
system in the industry to use innovative digital silicon
photomultiplier detectors instead of traditional analog detectors,
resulting in a step change in performance that includes an
approximately two-times increase in sensitivity gain, volumetric
resolution and quantitative accuracy compared to analog systems.[2]
These radical improvements can ultimately be translated into high
image quality, increased diagnostic confidence, improved treatment
planning and faster workflows.

"Personalized medicine will require a patient-specific picture of
the functional processes associated with disease," added Pablo Ros,
M.D. "Accurate quantification of processes is therefore an important
requirement for functional imaging in diagnosis, therapy and
research. The quantitative accuracy and remarkably clear images that
the new digital PET/CT system delivers are a key step forward."

In a recent survey, nine out of ten referring physicians preferred
Vereos digital PET/CT [http://www.healthcare.philips.com/us_en/clini
calspecialities/Radiology/Solutions/vereos.html ] images over images
taken with an analog system.[3] Philips has received 510(k)
clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market
its digital PET/CT system in the U.S.

IQon Spectral CT[1]

Philips' second RSNA introduction - its IQon Spectral CT system -
is the world's first spectral-detector CT system built from the
ground up for spectral imaging. It uses color to identify the
composition of an image without involving time-consuming protocols.
In the same way that white light is made up of a spectrum of colors,
the X-ray beam used in CT scanners also consists of a spectrum of
X-ray energies. With the development of a fundamentally new spectral
detector that can discriminate between X-ray photons of multiple high
and low energies simultaneously, Philips' IQon Spectral CT adds a new
dimension to CT imaging, delivering not only anatomical information
but also the ability to characterize structures based on their
material makeup within a single scan.

After a spectral CT examination, clinicians can interpret the
conventional grey-scale anatomical images, and if necessary, access
the spectral information that was acquired during the same scan. The
IQon Spectral CT system's retrospective on-demand data analysis is
made possible via Philips' iPatient platform, allowing clinicians to
easily experience the benefits of spectral CT routinely within
traditional radiology workflows.

Due to its accessibility, speed and accuracy, CT imaging is widely
used in the diagnosis of many different diseases and injuries,
totaling approximately 450 million imaging procedures globally per
year. Philips has consistently driven innovation in CT, most recently
with the introduction of its proprietary Iterative Model
Reconstruction (IMR) technology to simultaneously reduce CT radiation
dose[4] and enhance image quality for a broad range of applications.

Philips at RSNA 2013 Visit Philips at RSNA 2013 at booth #6733 in
the North Building, Hall B, of the McCormick Place Convention Center
from December 1-6. For additional materials and images of Philips'
IQon Spectral CT[1] and Vereos PET/CT [http://www.healthcare.philips
.com/us_en/clinicalspecialities/Radiology/Solutions/vereos.html ] ,
and for more information on Philips' portfolio of radiology solutions
featured at RSNA 2013, please click on this link [http://www.health
care.philips.com/us_en/clinicalspecialities/Radiology/Solutions/news.
html ] .

[1] The IQon Spectral CT is pending 510(k) and is not available
for sale in the U.S. A system with the NanoPanel Prism detector is
available for sale in the U.S. for conventional scanning.

[2] Analog system: Philips GEMINI TF 16.

[3] Based on a recent survey, commissioned by Philips, among
referring oncologists when shown Philips GEMINI TF 16 images (analog
system) and Philips Vereos PET/CT images (digital system).

[4] In clinical practice, the use of IMR may reduce CT patient
dose depending on the clinical task, patient size, anatomical
location and clinical practice. A consultation with a radiologist and
a physicist should be made to determine the appropriate dose to
obtain diagnostic image quality for the particular clinical task.

About Royal Philips:

Royal Philips is a diversified health and well-being company,
focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in
the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2012 sales of EUR
24.8 billion and employs approximately 114,000 employees with sales
and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in
cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient
lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male
shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is
located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

ots Originaltext: Royal Philips
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information, please contact:

Steve Klink
Philips Group Communications
Tel.: +31-6-10888824
E-mail: steve.klink@philips.com

Rachel Bloom-Baglin
Philips Healthcare
Tel.: +1-978-760-9007
E-mail: rachel.bloom-baglin@philips.com

Leslie Lakis
Philips Healthcare
Tel.: +1-978-273-9692
E-mail: leslie.lakis@philips.com