Siemens Healthcare announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the Biograph Horizon positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) system, which is designed to offer high performance at a reasonable cost.

According to Siemens, the Biograph Horizon system leverages PET/CT technology to help providers address more clinical indications in oncology, neurology, and cardiology. The system is said to enable physicians to visualize small lesions early, and its 4 mm LSO crystals scintillate faster and have a higher light output than BGO crystals, resulting in high resolution and good image quality and enabling Time-of-Flight acquisition.

Biograph Horizon’s capabilities are considered valuable for many indications, including lung cancer, which is the most common PET/CT indication, representing 29% of the total exam mix. More detailed patient data can help clinicians more accurately stage disease and evaluate therapy response, contributing to more effective care pathways. To help providers address the growing demand for CT lung exams, Biograph Horizon also can be used as a shared service to support CT overflow, reduce patient wait times, and enable scheduling flexibility.

As a small PET/CT system with relatively low power requirements, Biograph Horizon is intended to minimize the initial capital investment for institutions looking to replace their current PET/CT scanner, as the system will fit into virtually any existing PET/CT exam room. Biograph Horizon offers low operating and maintenance costs as well, with automated technologies such as gentle system warm-up and automatic standby that extend the system’s economic life in addition to reducing power consumption. Siemens’ Guardian program also helps predict system issues before they occur, lowering costs related to unplanned downtime.

To increase productivity and time spent with patients, Biograph Horizon automates manual tasks and offers protocol-based exams. For example, quality control procedures can be run overnight, scans can be performed in as fast as 5 minutes, and reconstruction can run alongside acquisition for image delivery 30 seconds after the scan.

For more information about the Biograph Horizon and its features, visit the Siemens Healthcare website.