Shimadzu Corporation has obtained premarketing notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its PositView PET system, marking a significant advancement in neuroimaging technology for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. The specialized system, designed for head and breast examinations, will begin marketing in the United States on June 30, 2025.
Enhanced Resolution Through Compact Design
The PositView system's key innovation lies in its compact detector ring design, featuring an inner diameter of 28 cm compared to the approximately 80 cm diameter found in conventional whole-body PET systems. This smaller configuration allows the system to capture images closer to target locations, resulting in resolution improvements of approximately two-fold compared to standard whole-body PET systems.
The enhanced resolution capability enables high-definition imaging of abnormal protein accumulations in the brain, specifically amyloid-β and tau proteins, which are primary causes of Alzheimer's disease. Positron emission tomography (PET) operates as a non-invasive diagnostic imaging method by administering drugs into the body that accumulate at specific targets.
Addressing Clinical Demand for Alzheimer's Diagnostics
The United States leads globally in employing amyloid PET examinations to identify amyloid-β accumulation in the brain, particularly for making therapeutic decisions regarding Alzheimer's disease drug administration. Shimadzu's PositView system directly responds to this established clinical demand while positioning for future growth as Alzheimer's cases increase and research advances.
The system is also designed to image tau protein accumulation in the brain, another critical factor in Alzheimer's pathology. Tau proteins can accumulate locally in minute brain areas, with known correlations between these accumulation sites and dementia symptoms. As research on tau protein-targeted therapies progresses, the demand for high-resolution tau PET imaging using specialized systems is expected to increase.
Clinical Applications and Future Impact
The PositView system's high-resolution capabilities make it particularly suited for detecting localized protein accumulations that may be missed by conventional imaging systems. The technology's precision is crucial for tau protein imaging, where minute accumulation areas within the brain require detailed visualization for accurate assessment.
Shimadzu anticipates that demand for amyloid PET examinations will continue growing as the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease increases and therapeutic research advances. The company positions the PositView system as a tool to contribute to early diagnosis and prediction of dementia progression, supporting research and development of treatments aimed at delaying dementia onset and progression.
The FDA clearance, documented under 510(k) Number K240827 with the proprietary name PositView, SET-5002, represents Shimadzu's entry into the specialized neuroimaging market in the United States, where advanced diagnostic capabilities for neurodegenerative diseases are increasingly critical for clinical decision-making.
