WAUKESHA, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Healthcare (NYSE:GE) today announced the FDA clearance of AngioViz, an application that gives doctors a new visualization of vascular flow on a single image to help them make important decisions during complex interventional radiology procedures. AngioViz yields its information from Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA), a technique commonly used to show the vascular anatomy.
“We are proud to offer our customers new information they will find valuable when planning and assessing complex interventional procedures. AngioViz takes the DSA technique to a new level,” said Chantal Le Chat, General Manager of Interventional Radiology, GE Healthcare.
Vascular imaging was revolutionized in the 1980s with the development of a technique called Digital Subtraction Angiography. The technique involves injecting a contrast dye into the vascular network while taking a rapid series of X-ray images. The first image, taken before the dye arrives in the field of view, is made into a mask image that is digitally removed, or “subtracted,” from the images showing contrast. The resulting images, which show only the contrast in the vessels, are used to display a two dimensional view of the vessels. Because the contrast is traveling through the vessels with the flow of blood, the arteries, capillary circulation, and then the veins are imaged in a DSA series. When used with today’s modern digital flat panel X-ray detectors, DSA produces excellent images of vascular anatomy over time.
But the anatomy of the vessels is only part of the story. Doctors want more information about the patterns and amount of blood flow to make better decisions during image guided interventions. They also want sequential information on a single image, instead of having to scan through a series of DSA images over and over. Finally they want to see how the flow of blood to an area of tissue has changed as a result of treatment.
A New Visualization of Vascular Flow
AngioViz provides a new
visualization of the vascular flow seen in DSA imaging utilizing a
technique called parametric imaging. AngioViz looks at each pixel in the
image series and determines two things—the peak value of opacification
caused by the contrast, and the time it takes for that pixel to reach
peak opacification. These two parameters can be displayed as separate
images or combined into a single color-coded image that represents
parameters of vascular flow. This enables doctors to perceive parameters
of flow quickly to support decision-making. In addition, AngioViz allows
easy comparison of parametric images from different DSA acquisitions,
such as pre- and post-treatment images. This can help physicians
understand the impact on flow dynamics of various interventional
treatments.
AngioViz bold flow visualization has the potential to be applied to a variety of clinical situations
- Help see where a blocked artery diminishes blood flow in the brain or other tissue
- Identify the timing and amount of blood flow in abnormal vessel anatomy
- Observe flow in abnormal tissue before and after treatment to support interventional oncology treatment
- Visualize peripheral artery blood flow before and after balloon angioplasty and stenting
About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational
medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient
care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information
technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug
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improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to
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Our “healthymagination” vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com.
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