GE HealthCare announced it has submitted a 510(k) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Photonova Spectra, its new photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) system with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms.

Photonova Spectra is built on the company’s Deep Silicon detector technology and is designed to delivery spectral and spatial resolution for ultra-high-definition imaging with wide coverage. It seeks to allow fast acquisition speeds, precise visualization of anatomical structures, and enhanced material separation.

Conventional CT system convert X-rays into light before measuring them—photon-counting CT directly counts individual X-ray photons and measures their energy. This enables the potential for higher spectral and spatial resolution, as well as improved tissue characterization.

The process makes it possible for more information and confidence to detect and diagnose disease, GE HealthCare said.

“Today marks a transformative leap for GE HealthCare and a bold new chapter in CT innovation. Photonova Spectra is more than a new product – it’s a demonstration of what’s possible when vision meets purposeful design,” says Peter Arduini, president and CEO of GE HealthCare. “Built to give healthcare teams the clarity and confidence they need, this system aims to redefine decision-making and care delivery—meeting today’s challenges and tomorrow’s possibilities. This is innovation with impact designed to reshape workflows, sharpen image quality and empower confident, timely decisions. I am immensely proud of our teams and collaborators who are transforming the future of CT and bringing precision care to life.”

Deep Silicon powers precision care

Photonova Spectra’s Deep Silicon detector material was engineered to bring enhanced spectral imaging to support advanced lesion characterization and treatment monitoring with CT.

Silicon is a high-performing semiconductor material because of its purity and structural consistency. When it interacts with X-ray photons, its composition allows precise measurement of photon energy and high levels of energy resolution.

GE HealthCare’s photon-counting CT can distinguish between different materials like iodine, calcium, and fat. Its wide detector coverage and 0.23 second rotation speed support quick acquisition and motion-free imaging.

Photonova Spectra with Deep Silicon spans a variety of specialties. In neurology, it can visualize the inner ear and clearly differentiate between brain grey and white matter at the same time. In oncology, it offers clear lesion characterization and precise quantification, with iodine mapping to distinguish oncological findings and support treatment monitoring.

In musculoskeletal imaging, it can visualize small fractures and bone marrow edema. In thoracic imaging, it allows ultra-high-definition chest scans to reveal fine details. In cardiology, one-second acquisitions support rapid cardiac scans and full chest imaging to enable in-stent lumen assessment, plaque characterization, and myocardial assessment.

Photonova Spectra’s advanced photon counting architecture and detector design may also open possibilities for research in quantitative imaging, tissue characterization, and spectral biomarker discovery.

“Photon counting CT is a fundamentally different approach to imaging. It can be thought of as particle physics in action,” shared Giuseppe Toia, MD, assistant professor of radiology, associate section chief of abdominal imaging, and Intervention and Program Director of Abdominal Imaging and Intervention Fellowship with the Department of Radiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “Being involved in developing and testing the Deep Silicon detector has allowed us to assess how the technology can be applied to address common issues such as improving spatial resolution and attaining accurate CT numbers. The goal of using photon counting CT is to help differentiate materials and reveal diagnostic details, which is of interest to radiologists for informed clinical decision-making and streamlined workflows.”

Up to 50x more data

The CT harnesses up to 50 times more data than conventional CT with the help of NVIDIA’s accelerated computing technology to enable advance reconstruction techniques and precise outputs.

“Accelerated computing and AI are the essential engines driving the transformation of medical imaging today, moving us from passive data capture to active, intelligent clinical workflows,” notes Kimberly Powell, VP of healthcare at NVIDIA. “By working on the technology’s development and pursuing opportunities to pair GE HealthCare’s Deep Silicon architecture with NVIDIA’s Blackwell platform in the future, we aim to unlock the full potential of spectral imaging—turning massive volumes of data into actionable insights. This collaboration is helping reshape what is possible in diagnostic imaging and aiming to set a new standard for clinical efficiency and precision.”

“Engineered with purpose to tackle some of healthcare’s most complex challenges—Photonova Spectra represents the next generation of CT innovation. From our earliest breakthroughs to today’s newest wave of innovation, GE HealthCare has innovated with intention, delivering technologies that empower clinicians and transform care,” added Roland Rott, president and CEO, Imaging, GE HealthCare. “As pioneers in AI and medical devices, we have harnessed advanced algorithms to materially enable this product—combining photon counting CT with our proprietary Deep Silicon detector. We are not just aiming to advance image quality, but to redefine diagnostic confidence and shape the future of precision medicine.”