Overview of the new GE HealthCare photon-counting scanner technology
GE HealthCare showcased its new FDA 510(k)-pending Photonova Spectra photon-counting computed tomography (CT) scanner for the first time at the 2025 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting. The company will likely become the second vendor to offer a workhorse photon-counting system. Tim Szczykutowicz, PhD, associate professor of radiology and director of clinical operations for CT protocol at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has worked with GE HealthCare for several years on the development and testing of the scanner, and he recently spoke with Radiology Business about the technology.
He said the most significant differentiator is the detector itself, which aims to deliver higher spatial resolution, simplified spectral imaging workflows and more robust image quality across a wide range of clinical applications
“It has a fundamental new detector design,” Szczykutowicz explained. “The old detectors were just a few millimeters thick. This detector is actually centimeters thick.”
The thicker silicon-based detector allows the system to capture more photons that pass through the patient, helping maintain dose efficiency while enabling photon-by-photon energy measurement. In addition, the system offers thinner slice thickness compared with conventional CT. Szczykutowicz said most scanners historically have 0.5 to 0.6 mm, the new GE Healthcare system has a nominal slice thickness of 0.4 mm.
Photon-counting CT also simplifies access to spectral information. Unlike traditional dual-energy CT, which often requires special scan modes and workflow trade-offs, photon-counting systems inherently collect spectral data in every scan.
“We don't have to use these special modes on our scanners to do dual energy. We just always have access to that spectral information,” Szczykutowicz said.
The improved image resolution also reduces image blur when patients are not perfectly positioned, which is common in musculoskeletal and other exams he said
Early research with prototype systems has also shown promise in cardiac imaging. Szczykutowicz described cases where photon-counting CT revealed mixed soft plaques that were not visible on conventional CT scans, raising the potential for earlier and more accurate diagnosis and risk assessments.
GE was one of three companies to display new photon-counting CT systems at RSNA. NeuSoft showed its system that recently gained Chinese regulatory approval. Canon Medical Systems displayed a work-in-progress photon-counting CT system, and Siemens also showed its systems, which are the only workhorse photon-counting scanners currently cleared on the U.S. market. Read more
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: [email protected]