According to GE HealthCare, the MRI agent makes it easier to see aberrant structures or lesions and aids in separating pathological tissues from healthy ones
Pixxoscan is an MRI gadolinium-based contrast agent. (Credit: Business Wire/ GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.)
GE HealthCare has introduced Pixxoscan (gadobutrol), a macrocyclic, non-ionic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA).
Pixxoscan is indicated for use in adults, adolescents, as well as children of all ages for contrast augmentation in cranial and spinal MRI and magnetic resonance angiography.
Its indication is similar to the reference product, Gadovist. Besides, it is indicated for whole-body imaging, which includes the liver and kidneys in patients with high doubt or evidence of having focal lesions to categorise them as benign or malignant.
According to GE HealthCare, the MRI agent makes it easier to see aberrant structures or lesions and aids in separating pathological tissues from healthy ones.
Pixxoscan is said to have a high relaxivity which enhances the detection, delineation, and characterisation of MRI across its different indications.
GE HealthCare has formulated the agent at twice the concentration of gadolinium ions which eventually reduces injection volume by half compared to other GBCAs, which provides a tighter bolus.
The agent also has a cage-like macrocyclic chelate, which surrounds it to give high kinetic stability, the medical technology company said.
Pixxoscan is the latest addition to GE HealthCare’s line of MRI contrast media, which also includes Rapiscan and macrocyclic Clariscan (gadoteric acid).
The new agent will give access to radiology departments to agents supporting a wide variety of MRI treatments. This will enable them to provide more individualised care for patients.
GE HealthCare pharmaceutical diagnostics chief medical officer Mark Hibberd said: “This extension to our portfolio means, we will be able to offer two leading macrocyclic molecules – Clariscan (gadoteric acid) and Pixxoscan (gadobutrol) – to our customers in a number of European countries, offering radiology departments even more choice to suit their diagnostic needs.
“We continue to innovate and invest in our contrast media portfolio to deliver for healthcare professionals and patients and to meet future demand.”
Pixxoscan has been assessed using a regulatory decentralised procedure (DCP) with marketing authorisation already in place in Austria. Upon approval, it will be launched in several countries in Europe this year.
The GBCA comes in a range of packaging like ready-assembled plastic prefilled syringes, glass vials, and larger volume +PLUSPAK polypropylene bottles.