Siemens next week will be presenting its new Syngo Aortic ValveGuide system at the congress of the European Society of Cardiology 2010 in Stockholm, Sweden. The system combines 3D images from the Syngo DynaCT with 2D data coming from the fluoroscope during cardiac valve implantation so the surgeon can see exactly where he’s moving through the vessels.
With the aid of anatomical landmarks in the 3D representation of the vessel, Syngo Aortic ValveGuide calculates the exact perpendicular view on the aortic root. The C-arm adjusts to the corresponding angulations for live fluoroscopy. That way, it provides the proper perspective that the physician requires to exactly position the new valve. Consequently, as soon as the software overlays the 3D image of the aorta with the two-dimensional live fluoroscopy, the cardiologist in the cath lab or, respectively, the heart surgeon in the hybrid room, can start the intervention. Since Syngo Aortic ValveGuide only requires a short fluoroscopy time prior to the procedure, the patient’s exposure to radiation and contrast agent can be reduced considerably.
The Heart Center in Leipzig, one of the leading facilities in Germany to perform TAVI-procedures, had previously performed several of these interventions with the Syngo DynaCT Cardiac from Siemens. This software processes CT-like images of the heart from images acquired with the angiography system. However, to overlay live fluoroscopy images with these 3D images and find the correct angulation for the C-arm, the physician had to leave the sterile operating area and perform manual angulation calculations at a workstation — or make medical staff available solely for this purpose.
Press release from Siemens: 3-D in angiography: New imaging software from Siemens simplifies workflow for minimally invasive heart valve implantation…