Heidelberg Engineering Announces the Launch of Spectralis Platform with Shift Technology

Heidelberg Engineering has launched the Spectralis platform with shift technology, which is aimed to develop synergies that boost productivity in both OCT and OCTA and give images with higher detail.

Shift allows clinicians to switch between OCT scan speeds for a personalized assessment. It improves clinical productivity while also boosting performance by providing different A-scan speeds for different applications to achieve optimal image quality.

Standard presets for OCT angiography (OCTA) and structural OCT–125 kHz for OCTA and 85 kHz for structural OCT–allow eye doctors to get more done in less time.

85 kHz is the default scan speed for high structural OCT image quality across the posterior segment, 125 kHz is a faster scan speed for improved workflow and high-quality OCTA and 20 kHz is the high-sensitivity OCT scan speed for challenging cases.

Heidelberg Engineering has submitted Shift, the first new Spectralis technology, for approval by a notified body under the new EU Medical Device Regulation. This achievement makes it easier to bring Spectralis with Shift technology to all CE markets.

Shift technology gives you the scan speeds you need for better performance, faster workflow, and more personalized patient care. Shift simply integrates into current clinical infrastructures, according to Heidelberg Engineering, with full backward compatibility of existing patient data and functionality.

“This acceptance is also a significant milestone in our transition from the old Medical Device Directive to the new EU-MDR”, said Krysten Williams, Head of Global Marketing and Education at Heidelberg Engineering.

Variable A-scan rates for customized patient care: 125, 85 and 20 kHz

125 kHz – A fast scan speed for improved workflow and high OCTA image quality

For OCT angiography, 125kHz speeds up image acquisition by up to 30%. In the everyday clinical routine, users will notice a boost in efficiency. In comparison to the current 85 kHz, 125 kHz offers the best speed-to-quality ratio for OCTA.

Fast image acquisition permits viewing of flow, even in small vessels, while minimizing artefacts, resulting in clear and detailed views of the capillary network.

Spectralis with Shift technology provides personalized diagnostic OCTA imaging to address the unique demands of each patient. For most patients, 125 kHz is a good compromise between speed and quality, but it can be adjusted to 85 kHz if the patient's condition requires more light exposure.

85 kHz – The scan speed for high structural OCT image quality across the posterior segment

The best speed-quality ratio for structural OCT imaging has been determined to be 85 kHz, which combines the right mix between quick workflow and meaningful images to provide confident diagnosis and enhance patient outcomes.

The default for the Glaucoma Module Premium Edition, 85kHz provides the image quality required for accurate measurements, while choosing to increase the speed can improve workflow efficiency for a busy glaucoma clinic.

20 kHz – The high-sensitivity OCT scan speed for challenging cases

20kHz makes it possible to acquire diagnostic images even in the most challenging cases. It improves image quality by resolving details even in eyes with medium opacities and small pupils, thanks to higher sensitivity and a superior signal-to-noise ratio.

Users can capture meaningful, high-resolution images when other devices or standard imaging modalities cannot deliver sufficient quality due to cataract, corneal edema or dense floaters.

The 20 kHz scan speed delivers clinically meaningful OCT pictures of the posterior segment, from vitreous to choroid, with superior image quality than at higher speeds in problematic cases and when used in conjunction with the new Enhanced Vitreous Imaging (EVI) or Enhanced Depth Imaging (EDI) modes.