Siemens Healthineers and Cercare Medical Unveil Collaboration to Enhance Stroke Care with CBCT Perfusion

Siemens Healthineers and Cercare Medical have announced a comprehensive partnership aimed at advancing the use of cone-beam computed tomography perfusion (CBCT-P) in the treatment of acute stroke. This collaboration aims to improve the diagnostic process by providing clinicians with detailed insights into cerebral blood flow and tissue viability.

The joint effort will integrate Cercare Medical's Neurosuite with Siemens Healthineers' Syngo DynaCT Multiphase technology. Cercare's Neurosuite is a collection of advanced, vendor-neutral imaging software solutions that offer automated perfusion analysis through modalities such as CT, MRI, and CBCT. Siemens' technology, meanwhile, provides a 3D acquisition protocol with up to ten CBCT angiography phases. The integration aims to offer enhanced perfusion and metabolic imaging within the angiography suite, reducing the need to transfer patients for further imaging during interventions. This operation could significantly streamline workflows and reduce treatment times, critical in stroke care where every minute is vital.

As a leading cause of death and long-term disability globally, stroke requires rapid and precise intervention. The collaboration's solution supports the immediate assessment of tissue viability during and after thrombectomy, which includes the detection of distal occlusions and microvascular disturbances. CBCT-Purfusion technology delivers perfusion maps akin to those from standard CT and MRI, offering clinicians real-time insights during acute treatment phases.

Professor Johannes Kaesmacher from Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland, emphasizes the importance of this advancement: “You can only treat what you can see. CBCT perfusion delivers crucial insights right in the angio suite, when standard imaging like CT or MR is not immediately available.”

Henrik Andersen, Cercare Medical's Chief Commercial Officer, notes that this collaboration will allow for global scaling of perfusion imaging, providing advanced decision support directly in the angio suite. Carsten Bertram of Siemens Healthineers adds that integrating Cercare's perfusion software with their Syngo DynaCT technology creates a comprehensive solution for stroke care across the treatment pathway.

Currently, the solution has received CE marking and FDA clearance under 510(k) K253831, demonstrating its compliance with international health and safety standards. As additional studies continue at several leading hospitals, the collaboration between these industry leaders aims to set a new standard in stroke intervention, leveraging advanced imaging technologies to transform patient care.