Royal Philips last week received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its IQon Spectral CT system, a imaging system capable of delivering anatomical information and offering the ability to characterize structures based on their material content within a single scan.

The IQon Spectral CT is the first-ever spectral detector-based CT, according to Philips, which believes the invention allows clinicians to identify the composition of imaged items using color. By adding spectral resolution to the image quality, providers not only get the anatomical information they are accustomed to with CT, but they also uncover the characterization of structures based on material content.

“Spectral imaging has the potential to change the way clinicians practice radiology in the future,” said Jacob Sosna, president of the Israeli Radiology Society and chairman of the Department of Radiology at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, who collaborated with Philips on the development the product. “A recent study with Philips IQon Spectral CT revealed enhanced diagnosis in up to 70% of cases. Using the prospective approach, we would only have access to spectral information in 20 or 25 percent, at maximum.”

Philips is showcasing the IQon Spectral CT at booth #6742 during this week’s Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting (RSNA). The IQon Spectral CT system is currently available for ordering in 36 countries.