Philips launches intelligent 3D imaging in Europe to empower faster stroke care, helping physicians save time, brain, and lives

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced the CE-marking of its latest SmartCT image reconstruction solution designed to support faster, more informed decision-making in the treatment of stroke and other neurovascular conditions. Already available in Japan and Canada, SmartCT is now CE-marked and available across Europe. The solution will be showcased at LINNC Paris 2025 (June 2–4), the world’s leading interventional neuroradiology congress.

Built for the Philips Azurion neuro biplane system, the latest generation of SmartCT simplifies and accelerates 3D imaging — giving neuro interventionists real-time views of brain tissue, blood vessels, and interventional devices directly in the Angio suite. By removing the need to transfer patients for separate CT imaging, SmartCT helps care teams treat faster, with greater clarity and confidence.

“In stroke care, minutes matter — and confidence is everything,” said Dr. Atul Gupta, Chief Medical Officer Diagnosis & Treatment at Philips. “With this latest generation of SmartCT for intelligent 3D imaging applications, we’re giving neuro interventionalists the imaging tools they need at the exact moment they need them — improving workflow, reducing delays, and ultimately helping to save lives.”

Already used by clinicians at many leading stroke centers worldwide, SmartCT enables a streamlined workflow that reduces procedural complexity and supports timely intervention. This enables physicians to personalize therapy and reduce uncertainty during time-critical procedures like mechanical thrombectomy— a minimally invasive treatment to remove blood clots and restore blood flow to the brain during an ischemic stroke.

“The image quality of the helical cone-beam CT is impressive—it's almost like a conventional CT scan,” said Dr. Shuta Aketa, Director of the Stroke Center at the Osaka International Medical & Science Center. “This is ideal for emergency procedures, as the image quality meets our needs and helps us work more efficiently.”

Dr. Junji Fukumori, Chief of Neurovascular Intervention of the same hospital added “Compared to other vendors, Philips SmartCT technology allows for more confident and safe treatment of complex cases.”