X-ray, invented in the late 19th century, was one of the first methods to see inside the human body without surgery. It provides two-dimensional images and is effective in evaluating bones and detecting certain diseases and injuries. In the sixties of the last century, tomography arrived, a medical diagnostic technique that allows obtaining detailed images of the interior of the human body or of objects in three dimensions. There are several types of tomography, but one of the most common is computed tomography (CT).
Computed tomography uses x-rays and a computer to create cross-sectional images of the body – or slices, colloquially – in different planes. These images provide detailed information about organs, tissues and bones, making it easier to diagnose diseases, injuries and other medical conditions. CT is especially useful in early cancer detection, evaluation of traumatic injuries, surgical planning, and much more.
A long evolution
The first CT scanners arrived in Spain in the 1970s, marking a milestone in diagnostic medicine, because they allowed doctors to identify and evaluate a wide range of pathologies that until then were difficult to identify.
Over the years, CT technology has undergone significant advances. Next-generation scanners incorporate advanced technologies, such as dual-energy computed tomography, which provides more accurate and detailed images while reducing radiation exposure. In addition, the incorporation of artificial intelligence in the interpretation of images has speeded up and improved the diagnosis process.
CT scanners are used in a wide variety of medical applications, from early cancer detection to diagnosis of traumatic injuries. They also play a vital role in planning surgeries and treatments, allowing doctors to make more informed and accurate decisions.
Quantum technology
But the most important advance in the matter is the incorporation of Quantum technology, the only commercially available system with photon measurement technology authorized for clinical use.
To date, there are only two pieces of equipment of these characteristics in Spain, which have just been acquired by the Quirónsalud Group and are being installed at the Quirónsalud Madrid University Hospital and the Quirónsalud Barcelona Hospital.
Dr. Nadine Romera, head of the latter’s Imaging Diagnostic Unit, points out. “This equipment allows us to bring the most advanced and innovative technology to our patients. We will be able to acquire higher quality images with less radiation and, in addition, adding spectral imaging. With the advances of this equipment we will analyze more information than morphological information, which “represents improvements in both the diagnosis and clinical management of the patient.”
Specialists agree that this technology will revolutionize the diagnosis of multiple diseases. The first in which it will do so will be in the cardiovascular field, since it offers ultra-detailed anatomical information that will revolutionize the study of cardiac imaging.
The high resolution of the equipment will also allow us to see small lung lesions and improve their characterization, assess interstitial values ??more clearly and observe very small structures, such as the inner ear, in which the bones of the ear can be seen in great detail as the stapes or cochlea.
Wide range of uses
Quantum technology has a wide range of uses in which more detailed images can be obtained of several different systems and organs, in specialties such as cardiology, oncology, pulmonology or neurology.
For example, there are patients with suspected coronary artery disease who cannot be analyzed by coronary CT angiography due to the high degree of calcification of the vessels, and must undergo a catheterization procedure, which is more invasive and therefore with greater risk for the patient.
Regarding the areas of pulmonology and oncology, thanks to monoenergetic images, which allow sources of inaccuracy to be eliminated, professionals can confidently determine that changes between images are the result of therapy or the physiology of the lesion, and not caused by inconsistencies in technical parameters.
Without a doubt, the great anatomical detail of the new technology is also a great benefit in lung and cancer evaluation.
Another advantage of this technology is its very low radiation and its reduction in contrast dose, compared to conventional equipment, as well as its speed, since it allows images of the entire body to be acquired in less than a second, which is very beneficial for the patient.
In conclusion, the arrival in Spain of the first two Quantum technology computed tomography scanners is an extraordinary advance and a qualitative leap in the precision of diagnosis and the quality of medical care.