A quantum leap in imaging at MakatiMed

Makati Medical Center (MMC) has inaugurated the NAEOTOM Alpha Pro photon-counting computed tomography (CT) scanner, representing an investment of more than P200 million.

Photon-counting CT is considered the latest major advancement in CT imaging, offering lower radiation doses and superior image quality compared with conventional CT. Unlike traditional CT systems, photon-counting technology directly detects individual X-ray photons, allowing for more precise and detailed imaging of structures inside the body.

There are currently only two photon-counting CT scanners in Metro Manila. While the country’s first system was introduced earlier this year at St. Luke’s Medical Center–Bonifacio Global City, the MMC system has an added distinction: It comes with an interventional option, a capability found in only one other hospital in Southeast Asia.

The interventional capability allows the scanner to be used not only for diagnostic imaging but also to support certain image-guided procedures, expanding its potential applications in patient care.

The NAEOTOM Alpha Pro is designed to provide more detailed anatomical and functional information while reducing radiation exposure, contrast requirements and imaging artifacts.

During the unveiling, MMC Radiology Department chairperson Dr. Genever A. Serna-Santos described photon-counting CT as “the most recent advancement in computed tomography” and a “revolutionary innovation” that provides “better imaging” and “safer imaging for the patient.”

Serna-Santos highlighted the technology’s applications in oncology, neurology, thoracic, abdominal, cardiac, pediatric, musculoskeletal and vascular imaging.

In oncology, the scanner can provide detailed imaging for cancer detection and follow-ups while using lower radiation doses and smaller contrast volumes. Serna-Santos presented cases showing improved visibility of tumors, including hepatic metastasis, as well as better distinction between tumor components and post-procedural changes.

The technology also offers potential benefits in cardiac imaging. Serna-Santos said photon-counting CT provides “superior image quality” compared with conventional CT and can reduce errors when assessing vascular stenosis. It can also improve visualization of coronary stents and reduce artifacts caused by calcium.

For pediatric patients, the scanner’s reduced radiation exposure and rapid scanning capabilities can minimize the need for sedation. Serna-Santos said fast scan times and improved resolution provide a better diagnostic option for children, citing a case involving a four-year-old patient with a Wilms tumor.

Ashutosh Sharma, ASEAN business manager for computed tomography at Siemens Healthineers Philippines, said the technology provides “a lot of depth in imaging,” adding that photon-counting CT is “no more of an emerging technology” but is already being used at high-throughput clinical sites.

Sharma said the NAEOTOM Alpha Pro is equipped with artificial intelligence and automation, which he said can provide “very good image quality, reproducible image quality, consistent results.” He described the system as “a quantum leap when it comes to diagnostic imaging.”

In cardiology, Sharma highlighted the scanner’s ability to assess patients with high calcium scores and coronary stents. He cited cases where photon-counting CT helped visualize in-stent restenosis and said the technology can provide detailed assessments that may otherwise require invasive procedures.

For oncology, Sharma said photon-counting CT’s spectral imaging capabilities can improve tumor visibility. “You can detect those tumors in [an] early stage [and] can deliver the diagnosis better,” he said.

MMC medical director Dr. Saturnino P. Javier said the hospital is focused on using the technology to improve patient care.

“We must be able to serve our patients even better,” Javier said, describing this as a guiding principle of the institution.

Javier also noted that relatively few centers in the country have the capability, while MMC chief financial officer and Interim co-president and CEO Arnold Ocampo said the hospital has been supportive of “new technology and state-of-the-science equipment.”

The inauguration marks MMC’s continued investment in advanced diagnostic technology. With an investment of more than P200 million, the hospital’s photon-counting CT system adds advanced imaging capabilities for patients requiring specialized examinations, while its interventional option further distinguishes the MMC installation from other photon-counting CT systems in the region.