SimonMed, an outpatient diagnostic imaging and health technology provider, today announced the clinical launch of two advanced lung imaging technologies, CT:VQ and LDAf, in partnership with global medical technology company 4DMedical. The technologies expand access to functional and quantitative lung analysis, helping physicians gain a more comprehensive understanding of lung health beyond what conventional CT imaging alone can reveal.
As 4DMedical's first outpatient imaging-group partner, SimonMed is bringing these advanced capabilities into community-based imaging settings.
The announcement coincides with November’s COPD Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of improving the evaluation of respiratory conditions. For patients experiencing persistent shortness of breath, chronic cough or other unexplained respiratory symptoms, identifying the underlying cause can be challenging. These technologies provide additional information to support clinical assessment and care decisions.
“Shortness of breath is a common symptom, but understanding its underlying cause isn’t always straightforward,” said Dr. Sean Raj, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at SimonMed. “These technologies add functional and quantitative insights to chest CT, helping physicians look beyond structure for a more detailed picture of lung health to support the evaluation of conditions such as COPD, emphysema and asthma.”
Both FDA-cleared technologies use specialized software to analyze non-contrast chest CT imaging, providing complementary insights into lung health.
- CT:VQ maps ventilation and perfusion to show how air and blood flow through different regions of the lungs. Traditionally assessed through nuclear medicine scans, these functions can now be evaluated using CT—without injected contrast, radioactive tracers or specialized nuclear medicine equipment.
- LDAf quantifies low-density lung tissue and air trapping to support the evaluation of obstructive lung disease.
Physicians can order either analysis individually or together to support evaluation of patients with persistent respiratory symptoms, abnormal pulmonary function tests, or known or suspected lung disease.
"At SimonMed, our goal is to make the most advanced imaging technologies accessible to more people, helping physicians make informed decisions and patients better understand their health," said Dr. John Simon, Founder and CEO of SimonMed. "Our partnership with 4DMedical is another example of how we're bringing meaningful innovation into outpatient care."
“Bringing the newest, breakthrough lung imaging tools to the marketplace requires partners with vision and technical prowess,” declares Dr. Andreas Fouras, Founder and CEO of 4DMedical. “SimonMed is exactly the right care provider to bring 4D’s advanced CT:VQ and LDAf™ to its outpatient imaging network. That gives physicians new and ready access to detailed, functional and quantitative lung insights for patients—and simultaneously extends 4D technology further into the U.S. market.”
CT:VQ and LDAf are available by physician order at SimonMed locations nationwide. Insurance coverage varies by plan, and applicable copays, coinsurance and deductibles may apply.
