Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HICARE (Hybrid Imaging in the Catheterization Room)
Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2024-09-30
An innovative C-arm scanner has previously been evaluated for the guidance for interventional oncology treatments by offering live simultaneous x-ray and nuclear images and proved to be beneficial during radioembolization treatments of patients with liver cancer. We hypothesized that developed C-arm scanner may also be beneficial for treatments performed in the catheterization room seeing that there are several overlapping factors with intervention oncology. E.g. both use x-ray images to guide the position of catheters and both use nuclear imaging for assessment of the tissue function. In the HI-CARE project, we have clinically and technically investigated whether the C-arm scanner may aid catheterization treatments and have assessed the potential impact of the device. If successful, the scanner may attribute to increased treatment outcomes, lower costs for society, and improved patient experience.
We have focused on four tasks within the HI-CARE project. First, we have performed an investigation for which catheterization procedures IXSI may realize a benefit. Second, we have evaluated the technical performance of the C-arm scanner for imaging of catheterization patients. For this purpose, we had to create an innovative test object that could be equipped with both x-ray and nuclear features. The test object was custom-designed and 3D-printed for testing of the scanner. Third, we have evaluated whether the C-arm scanner can be made more cost-effective for cardiology purposes seeing that the object to image is small, lowering the field of view and hence material cost of the detector. And fourth, by combing the above activities, we have developed a business case for the C-arm scanner in the catheterization room.
With the work performed in the HI-CARE project, there lies a solid fundament for further exploration of the application of the hybrid C-arm scanner in cardiology. The next step would be to acquire funding to initiate a proof-of-concept study in which the scanner can be tested clinically. We believe such a clinical trial will act as a catalysator for further cardiology applications. In a first clinical study, it will most likely be quickest to perform the study in-house. But at a later stage, input from industry is crucial to make the technology wider available.