Philips introduces UniGuide in Europe to improve image-guided interventions

THE NETHERLANDS—Royal Philips has launched UniGuide 3D Live Guidance in Europe and other CE-marked markets to integrate preprocedural CT imaging into live image-guided interventions and support more informed treatment decisions.

Built on the Philips Azurion image-guided therapy platform, UniGuide lets clinicians access preprocedural imaging information within the same workflow they use to guide treatment.

The system aims to reduce the need to switch between workstations and manually correlate planning data with live images.

The first release supports percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), structural heart procedures and complex vascular interventions.

It connects insights from computed tomography (CT) scans with live procedural imaging, helping clinicians assess patient anatomy and plan treatment before an intervention begins.

For coronary procedures, UniGuide combines information from preprocedural coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with live image guidance through 3D overlay visualisation or synchronised side by side displays.

Clinicians can review vessel anatomy, plaque characteristics and other disease related information during treatment.

“Bringing CT into the cath lab creates a huge opportunity for those patients who have already undergone CT imaging,” said Prof. Javier Escaned, head of the Interventional Cardiology Section at Hospital Clínico San Carlos and Complutense University in Madrid.

He said access to CT angiograms helps clinicians assess vessel characteristics, refine procedural planning and improve the precision of interventions.

The system also allows clinicians to review CT images through the tableside Touch Screen Module and synchronise the 3D rendering with the movement of the C-arm during procedures.

Supporting workflow efficiency and clinical decision making

UniGuide operates within the Azurion environment, displaying CT and planning information on the FlexVision screen and allowing clinicians to interact with 3D guidance through the tableside touchscreen.

It also supports planning information from Philips Advanced Visualization Workspace and compatible third party solutions, giving hospitals flexibility to use existing imaging tools and protect previous investments.

In a Philips usability study, 93% of participating clinicians believed integrating planning information into the procedural workflow could improve catheterisation laboratory efficiency and performance.

Meanwhile, 80% said the system’s automation and user interface could help clinicians maintain focus during procedures.

Darshan Doshi, an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer for Image Guided Therapy Devices at Philips, said advances in imaging increasingly allow clinicians to understand patient anatomy and plan complex procedures before patients enter the interventional suite.

UniGuide brings that information into the treatment environment, connecting preprocedural CT planning with live guidance to support patient specific decisions, he added.

Expanding connected image guided therapy

The launch forms part of Philips’ strategy to integrate diagnostic, planning and procedural information within its image guided therapy portfolio.

The company plans to extend the approach across additional imaging modalities, clinical applications and procedure types.

For hospitals, integrating imaging data into existing procedural systems could reduce workflow fragmentation and improve access to patient specific information.

The approach also reflects a broader industry focus on connecting diagnostic imaging with interventional technologies to support increasingly complex procedures

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