| NovaRay has designed
and produced an innovative cardiac catheterization
system based on a fundamentally new x-ray
imaging technology that improves image quality,
reduces radiation dose, and provides access
to depth-of-field (3-D) information.
Conventional x-ray imaging, which has not
changed dramatically over the last 40 years,
employs a point source and a large-area
detector that remains in close proximity
to the patient. As a result, scattered radiation
from the patient is more likely to hit the
detector and degrade image quality.
NovaRay’s proprietary patented system
uses an inverse
geometry that dramatically reduces the
amount of detected scatter. The patient
is placed at a distance from a small-area
detector and close to a broad-area source
that is analogous to a television cathode-ray
tube (CRT). This unique method of data acquisition
also allows individual slices to be reconstructed
to provide 3-D information.
Advantages
of NovaRay's ScanCath Technology
| • |
Minimal
detected x-ray scatter, resulting in
enhanced image quality and large dose
reductions. |
| |
– |
Up
to a 10x reduction in radiation exposure
to the patient. |
| |
– |
Up
to a 5x reduction in radiation exposure
to the clinician. |
| • |
Geometrically
accurate depth-of-field information. |
| |
– |
Ability
to exclude visually distracting anatomy
such as the spine and ribs from the
image. |
| |
– |
otential
for automatic vessel sizing. |
| • |
An
x-ray source that can be run continuously
at full power. |
| |
– |
Continuous
diagnostic mode imaging. |
| |
– |
No
waiting for x-ray source to cool down.
|
| • |
Open
access to the patient. |
NovaRay's ScanCath system is enabled by
innovations in x-ray source, detector, and
image reconstruction technologies and protected
by 23 issued U.S. patents. The company has
received 510(K)
marketing clearance from the US Food
and Drug Administration (FDA).
|
