2017/05/02
Keio University School of Medicine
Professor Masahiro Jinzaki and his colleagues from the Department of Radiology, Keio University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Project Associate Professor Takeo Nagura of the School of Medicine and Professor Naomichi Ogihara of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, have successfully developed the world's first whole-body 320-row area detector upright and seated CT (hereafter upright and seated CT) with Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (hereafter Toshiba Medical) as a partner, and will conduct clinical research.
Since its introduction in the early 1970s, CT (X-ray Computed Tomography) has been used to diagnose many diseases. People primarily function in upright or seated positions, but conventional CT can only scan patients in a supine (lying down) position. Therefore, it has been impossible to evaluate medical conditions that worsen upon standing or functions that can only be assessed in an upright or seated position.
The research group, in an industry-academia collaboration with Toshiba Medical, led the project from concept to basic design and development, creating the world's first area detector-type upright and seated CT capable of whole-body scanning. The first unit of this CT was installed at Keio University Hospital in April 2017, with clinical research scheduled to begin in May.
In the future, we will evaluate various medical conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders of the limbs and spine that become apparent under load, hernias and organ prolapse, respiratory function and circulatory dynamics that can only be assessed in upright or seated positions, preoperative evaluations for plastic and reconstructive surgery, and even gait function.
Please see below for the full press release.