Siemens gets to the heart of the matter

Scientists at Siemens Medical Solutions recently developed the world’s first Dual Source Computed Tomography system.

The new CT-system, named Somatom Definition, uses two X-ray sources and two detectors at the same time, and takes images of full cardiac detail with up to 50 per cent less radiation exposure compared to traditional CT scans.

Siemens said the Somatom Definition will image patients with high or irregular heart rates, or even arrhythmia, without the beta-blocker drugs that have previously been needed to slow a patient’s heart. The system also enables physicians to better identify and characterise plaque, an early indicator of heart disease.

The Somatom Definition’s capabilities include scanning with two different X-ray energies simultaneously, which allows doctors to better differentiate, characterise, isolate and distinguish bone, soft tissue and fluid.

With 0.33 seconds per rotation, electrocardiogram (ECG) synchronised imaging can be performed with 83- millisecond temporal resolution, independent of the heart rate, resulting in motion-free cardiac images.