by
Gus Iversen, Editor in Chief | October 14, 2025
Surgeons at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have completed the first procedure in the U.S. using an intraoperative PET/CT scanner during head and neck cancer surgery.
The scanner, developed by Belgium-based Xeos and known as the Aura 10 specimen imager, was used to visualize a tumor immediately after its removal in the operating room. The technology enables surgeons to assess surgical margins in real time, without having to wait for pathology results.
The radiation dose is also significantly lower — around 20% of what is typically used in a standard whole — body PET/CT scan.
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Dr. Michael Topf, associate professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, led the team performing the first case and several follow-up procedures. Up to 50 patients are expected to participate in the study, which seeks to determine whether the imaging system can improve the accuracy of tumor removal.
“We’re actively investigating both the feasibility of using this approach in the operating room during head and neck cancer surgery and whether it can accurately show cancer margins compared to the ‘gold standard’ of microscopic analysis,” said Topf.
During surgery, patients receive a low-dose injection of the radiotracer fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to highlight cancer cells during imaging. Unlike traditional approaches, where margin analysis can take several days, the intraoperative scan provides feedback in minutes.
Nicole Jones, research coordinator IV in the otolaryngology research lab, said the technology could help streamline surgical decisions. “Instead of the surgeon having to leave the OR and go to the pathology lab, everything is done in real time,” she said.
According to Dr. Eben Rosenthal, department chair, the scanner offers “critical information” about the tumor’s three-dimensional structure immediately after removal, potentially improving surgical outcomes.
The VUMC team plans to continue refining the workflow while validating the scanner’s effectiveness and safety within the operating room environment.
