Innovative 3-D Vessel Navigator for Treatment of Vascular Disease Launched

New, advanced visualization software that can be used with interventional X-Ray systems to help vascular surgeons guide catheters during treatment of vascular disease has been announced.

The vessel navigator fuses X-ray images of blood vessels with 3-D Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT) images and creates 3-D color-coded images of the vessels. The navigator enables minimally invasive treatment of aortic aneurysms and has been shown to reduce contrast medium usage by up to 70% and vascular procedure duration by 18%.


The VesselNavigator was developed by Philips Healthcare (Best, The Netherlands) and was designed for use with Philips’ interventional X-ray systems. Vascular surgeons can use the VesselNavigator to maneuver a catheter, through major blood vessels using image guidance. The surgeon can then position and deploy stents or other implants to reinforce the vessel walls.

Prof. Dr. Frank Vermassen, Head of Vascular and Thoracic Surgery at University Hospital Ghent (Ghent, Belgium), said, “VesselNavigator gives vascular surgeons during endovascular procedures the 3D view of the patient’s anatomy, which they are familiar with from open surgery. It also significantly reduces the amount of contrast medium required, which means a lesser burden on the kidneys. And with a growing population of elderly and diabetic people who suffer from poor kidney function, reducing contrast medium requirements will open up endovascular treatments to a wider range of patients.”

Related Links:

Philips Healthcare
University Hospital Ghent