Authored by Jean-Luc Procaccini, President & CEO, Molecular Imaging & Computed Tomography, GE HealthCare
At GE HealthCare, when we invent a game-changing technology or solution, we do so with the understanding that our work is only halfway done.
As one of the world’s largest global medical technology companies, we know that our innovations are only as meaningful as the number of patients we reach with the systems and software we create. That’s why we aim to increase access to precision care tools, encouraging the broad adoption and practice of more personalized medicine around the world – including Theranostics.
Theranostics is a type of precision care that combines diagnostics and therapy, such as leveraging imaging techniques that more accurately inform diagnoses and measure therapeutic responses. It’s a practice that is having significant impact – especially in caring for oncology patients.
The foundation of this technology is the production of radioisotopes used in diagnostic tracers, which attach to cancer cells and receive radioactive emissions to give clinicians detailed molecular information unique to each patient. Clinicians can then tailor personalized treatment plans to help maximize the chance of success given a patient’s molecular profile.
The growing adoption of Theranostics has driven greater demand for these critical radioisotopes – however, limitations of traditionally used generators have constrained their production of radioisotopes, sometimes preventing patients from realizing the benefits of this breakthrough treatment modality.
Introducing Increased Access to Theranostics at SNMMI
Today at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging annual meeting in Toronto, our GE HealthCare team is proud to announce MINItrace Magni,[i] which aims to bring the benefits of in-house production of commercial PET tracers and radiometals to the masses.
Our latest innovation aims to provide underserved health systems greater access to a consistent source of radioisotopes so more clinicians can identify and diagnose abnormalities in oncology, cardiology, and neurology.
To call the MINItrace Magni compact would be understatement: this easy-to-install, easy-to-site cyclotron is the size of a commercial refrigerator and could help democratize and localize access to precision care by granting more clinicians the ability to use a variety of tracers to help treat their patients.
This system complements our portable Omni Legend Mobile solution,[ii] which makes our impressive Omni Legend PET/CT system available to regional and local scan centers and hospitals. This access can reduce the amount of travel required of patients seeking access next-generation medical imaging technology.
Ultimately, achieving a more personalized and flexible healthcare experience requires fundamental changes in the way healthcare operates. The system must evolve to be smarter, easier, and more collaborative.
Fortunately, the rise and development of digital and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions makes new tools available to clinicians in the practice of precision medicine.
It is in this spirit of advancing Theranostics and providing clinicians additional solutions to help improve patient outcomes that we recently acquired MIM Software, aiming to deliver innovative digital solutions – including MIM Encore and MIM SurePlan MRT– across care pathways for precise, connected, and efficient care across disease states.
We’re also excited to announce Clarify DL[iii] on our StarGuide SPECT/CT, a new deep-learning reconstruction technology designed to deliver clear, accurate, and effortless imaging – a stark contrast to today’s noise reduction techniques, which typically lowers contrast and resolution and may impact accuracy and diagnostic confidence.
Altogether, advances in medtech have greatly improved, helping empower clinicians to make earlier diagnoses and tailor more effective treatments before diseases reach life-threatening states.
However, the ongoing inability of millions of patients to access important components in the care path can have a dramatic effect on health outcomes. We have an obligation to be as creative in our delivery approaches as we are in our labs. Innovation without access is a job unfinished.
Dive deeper into all our new announcements at SNNMI 2024 here: “GE HealthCare increases access to precision care tools, encouraging the continued adoption and practice of more personalized medicine around the world.”
[i] Technology in development that represents ongoing research and development efforts. These technologies are not products and may never become products. Not CE marked.
[ii] Omni Legend is CE marked and 510k cleared. Not commercially available in all markets.
[iii] Clarify DL is 510(k)-pending with the U.S. FDA. Not licensed in accordance with the Canadian law. Not available for sale in the United States and Canada.
