Siemens Healthineers and Swedish medical imaging cybersecurity company Sectra have joined forces to improve radiologists' workflows. This collaboration enables radiologists using Sectra’s PACS applications to seamlessly access and process images captured by Siemens Healthineers’ NAEOTOM Alpha photon-counting CT (PCCT) scanners, eliminating the need to switch between applications or workstations.

Sectra CEO Torbjörn Kronander emphasized the importance of efficient workflows amid increasing workloads and a radiologist shortage, stating that having all relevant images and tools in one application enhances efficiency and decision-making.

PCCT technology directly measures X-ray photons, offering improved contrast resolution, reduced radiation doses, and the ability to differentiate tissues by material composition. Siemens Healthineers highlights its benefits for cases requiring high-detail visualization and reduced radiation exposure, such as pediatric cancer care.

Nena Stephan, project lead at Siemens Healthineers, noted that interactive spectral imaging with NAEOTOM Alpha enhances diagnostic precision by enabling customizable visualization of tissue spectral characteristics and eliminating artifacts.

Sectra has been expanding its partnerships, including a December 2024 agreement with the University of Hartford to introduce its medical education platform and an expanded alliance with Norway’s Helse Nord RHF for digital pathology workflows.

As the global diagnostic imaging market grows from $36.31 billion in 2023 to a projected $54.87 billion by 2033, radiologist shortages are expected to worsen. The UK’s Royal College of Radiologists forecasts a 40% shortfall by 2028, while the AAMC predicts the U.S. could face a shortage of nearly 42,000 radiologists by 2036.