GE HealthCare PET scanner captures full body in one minute

GE HealthCare has developed a next-generation positron emission tomography (PET) scanner capable of imaging the entire human body in a single minute. The device delivers higher image quality than conventional equipment, according to preliminary results presented at the 39th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM'26).

How the technology works

PET combined with X-ray computed tomography represents the most advanced non-invasive examination method currently available. Standard devices typically feature a narrow field of view, requiring five to six "table positions" from head to thigh to capture the whole body. In contrast, long axial field-of-view (LA-FOV) systems encompass a significantly larger portion of the body simultaneously, capturing greater signal intensity and radiological contrast.

Clinical trial results

Researchers tested both systems on 24 patients at the Peter MacCallum Clinic in Melbourne. Two physicians evaluated the images blindly. The one-minute scans achieved diagnostic quality scores between 4.5 and 5, while the traditional scanner received a score of 3.9.

Physicist Cameron Payne stated that despite reducing data acquisition time by 90 percent, the team obtained superior quality compared to current traditional methods.

Potential patient benefits

Rapid PET imaging may offer greater comfort for individuals experiencing pain or difficulty remaining motionless during procedures. Additionally, the faster scan times could increase the number of examinations performed. Over the long term, this efficiency might allow for reduced doses of radioactive pharmaceuticals.