Press release

Siemens Healthineers launches new CT scanner for fast diagnosis and precise interventions in demanding clinical areas

Published on May 11, 2021

Not for publication in the U.S.

  • Somatom X.ceed is a high-speed and high-resolution CT scanner with an intelligent operation approach that simplifies procedures for medical staff and patients.
  • Somatom X.ceed extends clinical capabilities in demanding and rapidly growing areas like cardiac and emergency imaging or during CT-guided interventions.
  • New cross-modality solution myNeedle Companion supports flexible, fast workflows in CT-guided interventions.

Siemens Healthineers presents Somatom X.ceed1, a new high-resolution, high-speed CT (computed tomography) scanner engineered specifically for the most challenging clinical areas where time and precision are of essence. To support medical staff in their workflows during critical situations, two "companions" for automated user guidance are integrated: myExam Companion guides users through diagnostic procedures; myNeedle Companion2 supports targeted needle path planning as well as laser-guided insertion across multiple modalities. As a result, the fastest single-source CT scanner from Siemens Healthineers can assist healthcare providers with their clinical decisions especially well in areas like emergency imaging, cardiac CT, and CT-guided interventions, all of them growing clinical fields.

With its large bore of 82 centimeters and its user-friendly tablet operation, Somatom X.ceed is designed from the ground up to enhance user and patient experience, two of the top three department priorities3. The system’s power and fast rotation time can use their full potential thanks to the intelligent automation of myExam Companion, achieving high-speed and high spatial resolution, key for cardiac, emergency, and spectral imaging.

myNeedle Companion for minimally invasive treatment

Computed tomography is one of the most used imaging modalities when cross-sectional image guidance is needed for percutaneous interventional procedures, like biopsies, ablations, or pain therapy. Almost 50% of sites perform at least 3 CT-guided interventions per day4. In these procedures, time and precision are critical. But the time needed, and the success rate depend greatly on the users and their experience level. Patient cooperation influences the success rate as well. Complex hardware and user interfaces or limited guidance may even increase these challenges and lead to variations in outcome.

With myNeedle Companion Siemens Healthineers simplifies the workflow in minimally invasive treatments. myNeedle Companion is a unique combination of hardware and software designed to greatly reduce the complexity in CT guided interventions. In addition, it is the first universal solution with a harmonized user interface for the planning and guidance of percutaneous needle procedures across imaging modalities, be it for a CT or an angiography system. Once the workflow is trained on one modality, the training efforts on another modality are expected to be much shorter. This can help to reduce unwarranted variations and minimize training efforts. Familiar user interfaces let the radiologist concentrate on what matters: accurate needle positioning with the help of the unique myNeedle Laser: a powerful, fully integrated option that projects the needle entry point and insertion angle directly on the body of the patient – even in advanced double-angulated procedures with multiple needle paths.

Emergency and cardiovascular procedures are challenging and growing clinical areas for CT

Emergency radiology is rapidly evolving. In the last 20 years the demand for CT-imaging in emergency departments has increased by 250%.3 In a busy emergency environment, inefficient workflow can slow down radiologists who need to triage patients and perform multiple, demanding tasks quickly. With the intelligent support of myExam Companion, staff members can easily unlock the full potential of Somatom X.ceed, speeding up procedures from patient preparation to image evaluation. Applications powered by artificial intelligence provide ready to read results aimed to facilitate diagnostic tasks.

The ability of cardiac CT to rapidly evaluate multiple cardiovascular conditions has allowed CT to become an important diagnostic instrument for steadily rising numbers in cardiovascular diseases (CVD)5. From 2011 to 2019, CT cardiac procedures more than doubled from 1.4 to 3.0 million6. These procedures, some of the most complex in computed tomography, are now performed routinely by staff of all skills levels. Here, as in emergency imaging, myExam Companion plays a major role in guiding the user towards more standardized results and low dose levels. “As the number and complexity of radiological procedures increase, demands on staff are reaching heightened levels. This continues to cause unwarranted variation, in both diagnostic and interventional procedures. Somatom X.ceed, together with myNeedle Companion, is a true game changer for CT-guided interventions. After the introduction of myExam Companion last year, reducing the overall complexity of scanner operation in as many aspects as possible was our next logical step,” says Philipp Fischer, Head of Computed Tomography at Siemens Healthineers.

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Siemens Healthineers 2021

Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the future of healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostics, image-guided therapy, in-vivo diagnostics, and innovative cancer care. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers’ ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to patients. In fiscal 2020, which ended on September 30, 2020, Siemens Healthineers generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted EBIT of €2.2 billion. Following the acquisition of Varian Medical Systems, Inc. the company has approximately 66,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com.