Canon Medical has received 510(k) clearance on its advanced intelligent Clear-IQ engine (AiCE) for the Aquilion Precision, which further expands access to its new deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) image reconstruction technology. This technology, now available on both the Aquilion Precision and Aquilion ONE/GENESIS Edition premium computed tomography (CT) systems, uses a deep learning algorithm to differentiate signal from noise so that it can suppress noise while enhancing signal, forging a new frontier for CT image reconstruction.

A press release reports that Aquilion Precision is the world’s first ultra-high resolution CT and provides two times the resolution of conventional CT, revealing detail that is typically only seen in cath labs. With AiCE, the system is designed to enable clinicians to perform super-high resolution studies at doses equivalent to standard resolution CT (with traditional hybrid iterative reconstruction techniques). AiCE learns, according to the press release, from the high image quality of Model Based Iterative Reconstruction (MBIR) to reconstruct CT images with improved high contrast spatial resolution.

Tim Nicholson, acting managing director, CT Business Unit, Canon Medical Systems USA, comments: “As we strive for precision medicine, we realise the importance of starting with the foundation of a precise diagnosis. Canon Medical is committed to developing intelligent solutions that help providers generate clearer, more holistic images to help achieve better outcomes, without increasing dose. This technology represents a new era in image reconstruction, which may help provide more possibilities in improving patient care than ever before.”