Philips launches intra-vascular interventional configuration for stroke assessment

17 June 2010

Philips has introduced the VasoCT, an intra-vascular interventional configuration for the Philips Allura Xper interventional X-ray system.

It is designed to visualize vessel structure beyond a clot and help physicians identify and assess the size and extent of an ischemic stroke. This ensures angiography suite treatment as quickly as possible, thus helping to improve outcomes and quality of life for the patient. VasoCT is based on a 3D rotational scan and a special injection protocol.

“Time is most essential when a stroke occurs.” said Bert van Meurs, senior vice president of Interventional X-ray for Philips Healthcare. “VasoCT allows physicians a clear view on the location and size of the occlusion and surrounding cerebral blood vessels, which leads to assessment and implementation of treatment. VasoCT also visually aids physicians in navigating through the clot in the right direction.

Receiving quick medical attention significantly lowers the risk of disability and death. Through a rotational scan in the interventional neuro radiology suite, VasoCT reveals key information about cerebral vascular structures in detail. It is one of the most comprehensive interventional imaging configurations in the Philips interventional X-ray suite, displaying the nuances and complexities beyond the actual occlusion and allowing for navigation in real time.

Professor Jacques Moret, M.D., a leading global authority on neuro interventional techniques said, “A stroke is a life-threatening condition that can get worse quickly unless the right diagnosis and treatment decisions are made in time. VasoCT provides physicians with the information needed to make important decisions at a crucial moment for the stroke patient.”

Stroke affects 15 million people worldwide each year, with five million people dying from strokes annually. It is the third leading cause of death in the US and the number one reason for adult disability. Thirty percent of those who have had a stroke need assistance walking, 26 percent become nursing home residents, and 19 percent have trouble speaking.