GE HealthCare’s Photonova Spectra, a photon‑counting computed tomography (PCCT) system, has obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, advancing the image giant’s CT offerings in the US.
Standard CT systems convert x-ray photons into visible light before measuring them, while photon-counting CT directly counts individual photons and measures their energy. According to GE HealthCare, Photonova is capable of yielding higher spectral and spatial resolution and improved tissue characterisation versus standard CT imaging.
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First unveiled at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting in November 2025, GE HealthCare filed for FDA clearance of Photonova shortly thereafter. With FDA clearance now in hand, the company said it is beginning preparations for the system’s US commercialisation.
Catherine Estrampes, CEO of the US and Canada at GE HealthCare, commented: “As clinicians across the US face rising volumes and increasing diagnostic complexity, technology must do more than capture images; it must simplify decision-making and strengthen performance across the enterprise.”
Photonova introduces deep silicon technology, which GE HealthCare describes as a novel ‘detector material’, into its imaging systems. The company highlighted that this technology is designed to precisely measure photon energy to “deliver the high-resolution energy levels that are critical in advanced image reconstruction”.
GE HealthCare’s PCCT development journey
According to GE HealthCare, Photonova’s use of deep silicon allows clinicians to obtain spectral images with higher levels of contrast, combined with detailed visualisation across neurological, oncological, musculoskeletal, thoracic, and cardiac imaging.
Underpinned by processing technology from NVIDIA, GE HealthCare is engaged in ongoing collaboration with a range of US academic institutions to explore further novel clinical applications for PCCT that were “previously constrained” by standard CT technology.
GE HealthCare has been collaborating with the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UWM) since 2022, exploring how PCCT could be applied to improve imaging protocols such as image quality, noise reduction and motion artifacts, and enhancing soft tissue contrast.
The company is also collaborating with Stanford University in a partnership primarily focused on human subject and technical research efforts for PCCT, such as the assessment of image reconstruction methods and the optimisation of image presentation workflows.
“Photonova Spectra reflects years of intentional design and close collaboration with clinicians, researchers and collaborators across the globe,” said Jean-Luc Procaccini, president and CEO of molecular imaging and computed tomography at GE HealthCare.
“From the earliest stages to today, we remain focused on building a system that addresses the practical realities of clinical practice while opening pathways for scientific advancement,” Procaccini added.
GlobalData analysis reveals that the global CT systems market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% and is projected to reach a valuation of around $12.4bn in 2035, up from $8.5bn in 2025.
According to a GlobalData market model, GE HealthCare held a CT system market share of 20.9% in the US in 2025, trailing Siemens Healthineers with a market share of 47.5%.
