Society realized by Medical Business
CT examinations while standing support the era of increasing healthy longevity

Upright CT used at Keio University Hospital A 16-cm-wide 320-row scan can be acquired 15 in 0.275 seconds

Upright CT may help identify undiagnosed pains

Seated scanning is also possible using specially designed equipment such as a swallow study chair or a wheelchair

Subtle changes in various body regions, such as the brain and heart, can be detected by detailed examination using X-ray CT systems, contributing to early detection of diseases. The X-ray tube and detector pairing inside the doughnut-shaped gantry rotates around the patient (at extremely high G-forces up to eight times greater than a roller coaster), creating high-definition cross-sectional images of the body.
Such CT systems are now undergoing further evolution. In contrast to conventional CT performed with the patient lying down, in upright CT, the patient is scanned while standing. Upright CT has been developed with Keio University, a leader in advanced medicine, and Canon Medical Systems, a Canon group company that has continued to rewrite the history of CT. Upright CT is expected to be used in previously difficult diagnoses such as abnormalities during activities involving weight loading while standing or seated (swallowing, urinating, walking, etc.), and to identify the causes of lower back or knee pain occurring only under weight loading while standing.

Early detection of risks to healthy longevity connects patients to treatment

In clinical research at Keio University Hospital, CT images obtained from standing and lying scans were compared

Because it can be difficult to remain still while standing, long scans can lead to blurred images. When considering the possibility of upright CT, Keio University focused on the technological capabilities of Canon Medical Systems, who had achieved the world's first high-speed, high-definition 320-row CT scanner capable of scanning a 16-cm width in 0.35 seconds,^* and began joint development. The best technologies developed by Canon Medical Systems over the years were utilized to solve the challenges of vertically moving a gantry that generates extremely high centrifugal forces. Upright CT eliminates the need for the patient to remove their shoes and lie down. Not only is the examination time shorter, but contactless examination can also minimize the risk of infection.
As population aging progresses and importance is placed on healthy lifespan, Keio University Hospital is proceeding with clinical research into the effectiveness of upright CT for early detection of functional decline and diseases that affect health, and determining pelvic floor muscle looseness and the severity of heart failure by comparing images obtained in the lying position.
The history of upright CT is still in its transformation stage. Canon will continue to pursue the possibilities of upright CT in order to meet the expectations of a society aiming for healthy longevity.