3D navigation imagery helps place stents

Philips has launched VesselNavigator, a live 3D catheter navigation solution to guide the minimally invasive treatment of patients with vascular diseases

VesselNavigator was developed in collaboration with the University Hospital Cologne, Germany and the University Hospital Ghent, Belgium.

During endovascular procedures a catheter is maneuvered, with the aid of image guidance, through major arteries or veins in order to locally position and deploy implants such as stents to reinforce the wall of the affected blood vessel.

The VesselNavigator solution fuses live interventional X-ray images with pre-acquired 3D MRI or CT images of the patient’s vascular structures.

The resulting 3D colour-coded images of the vessels provide real-time visual guidance, making it easier to maneuver through the vascular network without the need to enhance the X-ray visualisation with the repeated use of injected contrast medium.

Frank Vermassen, head of vascular and thoracic surgery at University Hospital Ghent, said: “VesselNavigator gives vascular surgeons during endovascular procedures the 3D view of the patient’s anatomy and significantly reduces the amount of contrast medium required, which means a lesser burden on the kidneys.

“And with a growing population of elderly and diabetic people who suffer from poor kidney function, reducing contrast medium requirements will open up endovascular treatments to a wider range of patients.”

Bert van Meurs, general manager image guided therapy at Philips, said: “The strong growth in image-guided therapy procedures is driven by the significant benefits they offer for healthcare systems and patients including reduced patient trauma, shorter hospital stays and lower health care costs.”