NICE Approves New Generation CT Scanners
Four new generation cardiac computed tomography (CT) scanners can now be used by the NHS to help diagnose and manage patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who are difficult to image, says the National Institute for Health and Clinincal Excellence (NICE)
Somatom Definition Flash CT scanner, Aquilion ONE, Brilliance iCT and Discovery CT750 are all recommended as options for first-line imaging of coronary arteries in people with suspected stable CAD in whom imaging CT scanners is difficult with older scanners.
The scanners are also recommended for first line evaluation of disease progression to determine whether blood flow needs to be restored by replacing blood vessels in people with known CAD, and in whom imaging with older CT scanners is difficult.
CT scanners are used to evaluate the function of the heart, its arteries and the degree of calcium build up. However, in certain people imaging can be difficult with older types of CT scanners. This can be due to obesity, and higher levels of calcium in the heart.
NICE has approved the use of the new generation CT scanners because they have a number of advantages over the older type CT scanners for people with CAD in whom imaging is difficult, allowing them to produce better images and in a shorter period of time, within one or two heartbeats.
Click for the full announcement from NICE on New Generation CT Scanners