GE HealthCare Renews Stanford Medicine Partnership to Advance Total Body PET/CT Technology

GE HealthCare has renewed its research collaboration with Stanford Medicine, building on a partnership spanning more than three decades to develop and research innovative total body PET/CT technology. The collaboration focuses on exploring new clinical pathways and enhancing patient outcomes through advanced imaging solutions that promise to transform molecular imaging capabilities.

The renewed partnership centers on total body PET/CT technology designed to deliver enhanced sensitivity and spatial resolution that could change how molecular imaging studies are designed and conducted. This advanced imaging approach offers opportunities to improve diagnostic precision and expand treatment possibilities across multiple disease areas.

"This technology is designed to offer a level of sensitivity and spatial resolution that can change how we design and conduct molecular imaging studies," says Dr. Andrei Iagaru, Division Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Stanford Medicine. "For example, such technological characteristics can create opportunities to reduce anesthesia use in pediatric imaging by dramatically shortening scan times and enable the exploration of dual-tracer studies and early diagnosis with far greater precision. Total body PET/CT technology is an ideal tool to evaluate biodistribution and dosimetry of new PET radiopharmaceuticals in our first human studies."

Molecular imaging through PET/CT technology offers significant opportunities for precision care across various disease states. The technology supports theranostics applications in oncology for advanced prostate cancer treatment, streamlines radiation oncology workflows, aids in beta amyloid imaging for Alzheimer's evaluation and monitoring, and assists in myocardial perfusion evaluation for diagnosing coronary artery disease. Unlike conventional imaging procedures, PET/CT technology visualizes, characterizes, and quantifies biological processes at the cellular level, enabling early disease identification, detailed assessment, and comprehensive treatment planning.

"PET/CT has revolutionized the way we understand and treat disease by allowing us to visualize biological processes at the cellular level," explains Dr. Quynh-Thu Le, interim Chair of the Department of Radiology, Stanford Medicine. "With total body PET/CT, we can explore new frontiers. Not only do we expect it will be faster, but we also believe it will fundamentally expand what is possible in translational research."

The technology's non-invasive nature provides critical insights that enhance patient care while supporting accelerated drug development processes. Researchers at Stanford Medicine and engineers at GE HealthCare aim to advance next-generation PET/CT systems designed to provide new opportunities for improving diagnosis, staging, therapeutic planning, and treatment response evaluation across various care pathways.

GE HealthCare's total body PET/CT innovation addresses barriers that previously limited widespread PET/CT adoption beyond oncology applications. The initiative seeks to expand PET utilization by leveraging ultra-high sensitivity technology to reduce scan times and injected doses, particularly benefiting vulnerable patient populations such as pediatric cases, where ultra-fast scans can minimize anesthesia and sedation requirements.

The advanced technology is designed to enable ultra-low dose scans, fast acquisitions, multi-organ dynamic imaging, and dual tracer imaging capabilities. These features work together to improve diagnostic confidence while enhancing healthcare system efficiency through improved clinical workflows and operational effectiveness.

"The high throughput we anticipate from this technology could ultimately help improve access for our patients and reduce wait times to their next appointment," says Dr. Erin Grady, incoming Division Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Stanford Medicine.

"At GE HealthCare, innovation is in our DNA. Our total body PET/CT technology represents the next chapter in our enduring commitment to advancing medical imaging," adds Jean-Luc Procaccini, President & CEO, Molecular Imaging and Computed Tomography, GE HealthCare. "We're proud to collaborate with world-class institutions to explore new clinical frontiers in oncology and beyond. Together with our MIM software solutions, we're designing flexible, AI-enhanced tools that not only aim to enhance diagnostic confidence and operational efficiency but also help clinicians deliver more precise, personalized care that can truly improve patient outcomes."

GE HealthCare maintains a comprehensive history of pioneering next-generation imaging technology, from developing the first commercially available PET/CT solution to creating the first silicon-based photon-counting computed tomography prototype. The company continues advancing medical imaging boundaries for clinicians and patients worldwide, positioning itself at the forefront of connected healthcare transformation and precision care revolution.

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