The 2010 spring issue of Pictures of the Future, Siemens’ research and innovationmagazine, features many articles on new developments and innovations in the molecular field. Targeting the Nano Frontier
Siemens’ researchers are dedicated to finding out how health-related information can be extracted from the nano-sized offspring of genomic activity – nucleic acids and proteins. Michael Pugia, PhD, and Siemens Principal Research Scientist Walter Gumbrecht, PhD, have come up with a concept called an “electrochemical camera,” which can squeeze remarkable amounts of information out of any liquid it is programmed to analyze. It holds the potential for testing patients for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) before they enter a hospital as well as for improved accuracy in the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes. Moreover, the “liquid biopsy” is designed to intercept and identify so-called “circulating tumor cells” or CTCs, thus providing an early warning system for people who have been treated for cancer and are at risk of recurrence. It is also affordable for developing countries. In an interview, Charles M. Lieber, PhD, the Mark Hyman Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University in the USA, also talks about how the convergence of electronic devices and living cells could possibly open the door to monitoring cell activities and responses to medications in real-time.
Identifying Invisible Invaders
Researchers at Siemens have had significant success with regard to identifying the unique characteristics of what is known as the pandemic 2009 H1N1 flu virus. With RAPID2, Siemens’ biomarker discovery process for the development of rapid diagnostic tests, they were able to obtain a perfect match between the signatures they had generated and those of the actual virus on the first try. As soon as the test was ready, it was tested in a double-blind evaluation on the automated VERSANT^® kPCR (kinetic polymerase chain reaction) Molecular System.¹ The results show that the assay was as sensitive as, and possibly more specific to, the 2009 H1N1 virus than a test developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Only two days after the U.S.National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted the H1N1 genetic code, had RAPID2 identified exactly what made the virus unique. Hybrid Imaging Solution
Biograph^® mCT (molecular CT) combines high-definition positron emission tomography (PET) with three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) images to illustrate both the molecular activity within disease as well as its precise location in the body. In cancer diagnostics, information from molecular imaging can offer physcians better tools to help detect cancer earlier and to more effectively monitor the success of expensive chemotherapy treatments.
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¹ Not available for sale in the U.S.

Pictures of the Future

An 18-year-old patient was referred to the MR and PET/CT Imaging Center Bremen Mitte, Bremen, Germany, for evaluation of the integrity of the left brachial plexus four weeks after a severe traumatic event. The symptoms presented during the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam suggested an involvement of the medial and inferior left brachial plexus. All images were acquired on the facility’s 1.5 Tesla MAGNETOM^® Espree system with a combination of the dorsal elements of the head/neck and the spine matrix coils. No contrast media was applied in this patient. A large cystic lesion at the level of the 1st thoracic and 8th cervical nerve root is obvious on the HASTE myelogram. Accordingly, a displacement of the dural border and widening of the subdural space was also obvious. A displacement of the spinal dural mater could be found on transversal and sagittal T2w images. Edema of the left cervical muscles and of the inferior and medial trunc of the brachial nerve plexus is clearly delineated on the coronal T2w TIRM images. Best visualized in the 3D T2w TSE, a nearly complete rupture of the 8th cervical nerve root was the obvious diagnosis, together with an affection and at least partial rupture of the 1st thoracic and 7th cervical nerve root.

MAGNETOM Flash: Traumatic Lesion of the Left Brachial Plexus

It is a difficult choice for physicians to decide what benefits the patient most, the highest resolution with best image quality and diagnostic confidence – or the lowest radiation level to reduce the long-term risks for their patients. Modern computed tomography (CT) technology like Iterative Reconstruction in Image Space (IRIS) provides flexible solutions that allow choices for the individual patient according to age, condition, suspected pathology, and the specific CT investigation being performed. The new technique results in increased image quality and aides in dose savings of up to 60 percent for a wide range of clinical applications. Several university hospitals in Germany and all over the world have already been able to gain extensive clinical experience with the new technique. “As a preliminary result, we can say that we were able to achieve a 50 percent dosage reduction while maintaining high standards of image quality,” recounts Michael Lell, MD, Senior Physician at the Department of Radiology of the University Hospital Erlangen, Germany. While all patients will certainly benefit from the use of IRIS, especially children and obese patients will profit from the new technique due to their special conditions. IRIS is now available on all SOMATOM^® Definition AS configurations, including the recently released Excel Edition. Consequently, all scanners from the SOMATOM Definition family can profit from excellent diagnostic image quality, with lower dose levels than ever before.

SOMATOM Sessions: Best Balance Between Image Quality and Reduced Dose

Excellent image quality is an essential requirement in computed tomography (CT). At the same time, the patient’s radiation exposure should be kept as low as possible. Siemens wants to help its customers use all dose-reduction features available on their CT scanners to the full extent and share their experiences with other users. For this reason, Siemens initiated the International CT Image Contest from October 1, 2009 to February 1, 2010, asking physicians from around the world to send in their work. Around 300 low dose cases from more than 30 countries were submitted and evaluated by a jury of internationally renowned experts. Additionally, Internet users could select their “favorite image” in public voting. Categories were: cardiac, neurology, abdomen and pelvis, vascular, thorax, as well as Dual Energy. The winner announcement took place at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2010 in Vienna, Austria, during the Bayer Schering Pharma and Siemens Healthcare joint Satellite Symposium. The winning images and jury statements can also be accessed using the link below.

SOMATOM Sessions: International CT Image Contest - highest Image Quality at Lowest Dose