The AURA 10 from Xeos is the world’s first high-resolution PET-CT specimen imager for the Operating Room (OR). The Belgian medtech company Xeos has made it its mission to enable surgical oncologists to operate with more clarity and thus help patients to recover more easily. With a Barco medical display as an integral part of the AURA 10 system, Barco is happy to contribute to that mission.
In surgical oncology, such as breast conserving surgery, rapid verification of the excised specimen is of utmost importance. When surgeons have a clear view on the surgical margins of a breast tissue specimen, they can be more confident that resurgery for their patients can be avoided.
Molecular imaging and whole-body PET-CT scanners have been the standard for diagnosis and follow up of cancers for years, because this technology provides unparalleled sensitivity for the detection and localization of malignant cells. The AURA 10 mobile specimen imager brings PET sensitivity and clarity to the OR within 10 minutes after excision. Thanks to this technology, workflow interruptions are reduced, because the specimen does not have to be physically transported to the radiology department for further review. Instead, it can instantly be reviewed by the right imaging specialist via a PACS system, which saves a significant amount of procedure time.
High-resolution specimen images
Specimen images acquired by the AURA 10 scanner are displayed on a Barco Eonis 21” display which can be tilted and swiveled, and which is fully integrated into the system. The display presents high-resolution 3D PET-CT images, which offers surgeons a reliable reference from any viewing angle. The user-friendly system interface displayed on the Barco monitor also enables surgeons to set up the image acquisition, obtain the required views with little image manipulation and upload the images to the PACS for further inspection by a medical imaging specialist.
When looking for the right display technology for their AURA 10 system, Xeos wanted to obtain the best possible grayscale and color performance for their PET-CT images, so that surgeons were able to see the microcalcifications and radiotracer uptake of the target lesion in the best imaging quality possible. And next to having all required medical certifications for use in the OR, the display also needed a slick design and a form factor that perfectly fitted the design of the AURA 10 device.
After thorough usability tests with surgical specialists, the Barco Eonis 21” review monitor came out as the best solution for the AURA 10 system.
Partner in innovation
“The Barco Eonis 21-inch display offered exactly what we needed for our AURA 10 imager,” says Johan Stockman, VP Sales & Marketing at Xeos. “The breadth of Barco’s medical display portfolio is a big strength for us. Not only have we been able to choose exactly the features and technologies we needed for the AURA 10, but with Barco we have also found a partner who can support our company in the future growth of our own portfolio.”
The AURA 10 may become the first Xeos success story, but the company has the ambition to improve oncology imaging workflows even more. For Roel Van Holen, CEO and co-founder of Xeos, it’s very likely that the Xeos portfolio will be extended towards more oncology applications and imaging functionalities.
“For example, offering an imager with a custom, higher-resolution review monitor or connecting our system to the hospital’s digital OR system; these are all opportunities for which Barco can be a valuable partner. But above all, we are listening to our customers’ needs, and Barco is listening to our needs. That’s the power of our collaboration,” says Roel Van Holen.
Common mission: beating cancer
According to Johan Stockman, the Barco brand has such great associations in the healthcare sector, that Xeos is glad to have it as an essential part of its AURA 10 system.
“We are confident about the performance of the Barco display, just as we are confident about the company’s experience in breast imaging. Both our companies have a common goal: to offer better technology for cancer care. By combining Barco’s expertise in breast imaging with our expertise of high-resolution PET-CT imaging, we can provide surgeons and radiologists with more insights on the tumor than with any other solution.”
