K022013 · Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. · JAK · Jul 16, 2002 · Radiology
Device Facts
Record ID
K022013
Device Name
LUNGCARE CT SOFTWARE PACKAGE
Applicant
Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
Product Code
JAK · Radiology
Decision Date
Jul 16, 2002
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Traditional
Regulation
21 CFR 892.1750
Device Class
Class 2
Attributes
Software as a Medical Device, 3rd-Party Reviewed
Indications for Use
Lung CARE CT is a self-contained image analysis software package for evaluating CT volume data sets. Combining enhanced commercially available digital image processing tools with optimized workflow and reporting tools, the software is designed to support the physician in confirming the presence of absence of physician-identified lung lesions (eg. nodules) in addition to evaluation, documentation and follow-up of any such lesions using standard or low-dose spiral CT scanning. This evaluation tool allows for volumetric analysis of pulmonary nodule or lesion size over time, helping the Physician to assess the changes in their growth. It is also designed to help the physician classify conspicuous regions of tissue unambiguously, with respect to their size, dimensions, shape and position.
Device Story
LungCARE CT is a software package for analyzing CT volume data sets. It integrates digital image processing tools (MIP, MPR, SSD, VRT) with evaluation and reporting functions. Physicians use the software to confirm the presence of lung lesions, perform volumetric analysis to track growth over time, and classify tissue regions. The software provides automated segmentation results, which the physician must review and verify, particularly for ill-defined nodules. It is intended for use in clinical settings to assist in the documentation and follow-up of pulmonary nodules, supporting clinical decision-making regarding lesion progression.
Clinical Evidence
Clinical evaluation performed by Wormanns et al. on 10 patients with pulmonary metastatic disease (150 nodules). Study assessed reproducibility of volumetric measurements. Results showed better reproducibility for compact nodules compared to ill-defined nodules with pleural/vascular connections. Bench testing (Kohl et al.) evaluated scanning/reconstruction parameters, finding volume reproducibility is independent of field of view but dependent on reconstruction kernel and slice collimation.
Technological Characteristics
Software-based image analysis package operating on the syngo platform. Features include MIP, MPR, SSD, and VRT processing. Designed for use with standard or low-dose spiral CT data. Connectivity via integration into CT workstations. No specific hardware materials or energy sources; software-only device.
Indications for Use
Indicated for physicians to evaluate, document, and follow up on lung lesions (e.g., nodules) identified in standard or low-dose spiral CT scans. Used for volumetric analysis of lesion size over time and classification of tissue regions by size, dimension, shape, and position.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A computed tomography x-ray system is a diagnostic x-ray system intended to produce cross-sectional images of the body by computer reconstruction of x-ray transmission data from the same axial plane taken at different angles. This generic type of device may include signal analysis and display equipment, patient and equipment supports, component parts, and accessories.
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K022013
# 510(k) Summary of Safety and Effectiveness
This summary of 510(k) safety and effectiveness information is being submitted in accordance with the requirements of SMDA 1990 and 21 CFR §807.92.
# I. GENERAL INFORMATION
### Device Name and Classification
| Product Name: | LungCARE CT software package |
|-----------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Common Name | 3D CT Reconstruction Software |
| Classification Name: | Accessory to Computed Tomography System |
| Classification Panel: | Radiology |
| CFR Section: | 21 CFR §892.1750 |
| Device Class: | Class II |
| Product Code: | 90 JAK |
### Establishment:
### Importer/Distributor:
Siemens Medical Solutions, Inc. 186 Wood Avenue South Iselin, NJ 08830
#### Registration Number: 2240869
### Manufacturing Facility:
Siemens AG Medical Solutions Henkestrasse 127 D-91052 Erlangen, Germany syngo is a registered trademark of Siemens AG
### Contact Person: Praveen P Nadkami Technical Specialist Telephone: (732) 321-4950 Fax: (732) 321-4841
# Date of Preparation of Summary: May 10th 2002
#### II. SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS INFORMATION SUPPORTING THE SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE DETERMINATION
### Device Description and Intended Use:
This premarket notification covers Siemens LungCARE CT software package. It is based on Siemens syngo software platform.
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Lung CARE CT is a self-contained image analysis software package for cvaluating CT volume data sets. Combining enhanced commercially available digital image processing tools (MIP, MPR, SSD, VRT), evaluation tools (volumetric estimation using consistent standardized measurement protocol, comparator tool for nodule matching by synchronization of two datasets, classification of nodules using configurable descriptors) and reporting tools (targeted presets, saved lesion) with optimized workflow palette, the software package is designed to support the physician in confirming the presence of physician identified lung lesions (eg. nodulcs) in addition to evaluation, documentation and follow-up of any such lesions using standard or low-dose spiral CT scanning. This visualization tool allows for volumetric analysis of pulmonary nodule or lesion size over time, helping the Physician to assess the changes in their growth. It is also designed to help the physician classify conspicuous regions of tissue unambiguously, with respect to their size, dimensions, shape and position.
### General Safety and Effectiveness Concerns:
The device labeling contains instructions for use and any necessary cautions and warning, to provide for safe and effective use of the device.
Risk management is cosured via a hazard analysis, which is used to identify potential hazards. These potential hazards arc controlled via software development, verification and validation testing. To minimize electrical, mechanical, and radiation hazards, Siemens adheres to recognized and established industry practice and standards.
### Summary of Pre-clinical and Clinical Information:
Kohl et al., performed a Lung Phantom bench testing study to determine the influence of the scanning and reconstruction parameters on reproducibility of volume measurements using LungCARE CT.
The results indicate that the reproducibility of volumetric mcasurements is independent of reconstructed field of view but is slightly dependent on the reconstruction kernel used to perform the evaluation. The results also clearly demonstrate the advantage of using thin slice collimations for better reproducibility of volume measurements. Comparison of volument measurements performed at various dose levels clearly demonstrates that the usage of normal dose versus low dose brings no additional benefit to the volume estimation.
In conclusion, the authors propose that the end-user should use thin slice collimations, medium kernel, low radiation dose with a full field of view reconstruction and last but not the least consistently use the same protocol for the best reproducibility of volumetric estimation.
Wormanns et al., performed a clinical evaluation of the reproducibility of volumetric measurements using LungCARE CT in 10 patients with pulmonary metastatic disease. In total 150 pulmonary nodules were manually marked and then evaluated. Volume and diameter of the nodules was calculated with the LungCARE CT software package. The proposed segmentation results, provided by the software package, were not modified by the user.
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The results indicate that the clearly defined compact type of pulmonary nodules have a better volume reproducibility, than the ill-defined types of nodules with multiple connections to pleura and/or vessels without user intervention by modifying the segmentation results. The authors concluded that they had evaluated a method that allows for the reliable estimation of volume growth but the user is cautioned to carry out the evaluation carefully and always critically assess the visual representation of the software proposed segmentation results especially for ill-defined nodules.
### Substantial Equivalence:
The LungCARE CT software package, addressed in this premarket notification, is substantially equivalent to the following commercially available software package:
| Manufacturer | Product | 510(k) | Clearance date |
|--------------|--------------------------|---------|----------------|
| GE Medical | Advanced Lung Analysis-I | K013381 | 10/26/01 |
The LungCARE CT software package described in this 510(k) has the same intended use and similar technical characteristics as the commercially available software listed above.
In addition, the image processing, display and evaluation components of LungCARE are currently available software components on CT systems like Siemens Somatom Plus 4 with Volume Zoom option, K941546, cleared on September 20th, 1994, software options like the Volume Rendering Technique option, K923524/S2, cleared on May 17th 1994 and the Calcium Scoring Software package, K990426 cleared on 04/30/99, and Workstations like the Siemens RealTime 3D Diagnostic Workstation (3D Virtuoso), K973010, which received clearance on Nov 10th 1997 and the syngo Multimodality Workstation. K010938, cleared on 26th June 2001. LungCARE packages these image processing and image display components in an optimized workflow palette.
In summary, Siemens is of the opinion that LungCARE CT software package does not introduce any new potential safety risks and is substantially equivalent to and performs as well as the predicate software components and the predicate device.
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Image /page/3/Picture/1 description: The image shows the logo for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The logo consists of a stylized eagle or bird-like figure with three heads, representing the department's focus on health, human services, and the well-being of the population. The text "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES - USA" is arranged in a circular fashion around the bird-like figure.
Public Health Service
JUL 16 2002
Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
Siemens Medical Solutions, Inc. % Mr. Wolfram Gmelin Technical Manager TÜV Rheinland of North America 12 Commerce Road NEWTON CT 06470
Re: K022013
Trade/Device Name: LungCARE CT Software Package Regulation Number: 21 CFR 892.1750 Regulation Name: Computed tomography x-ray system Regulatory Class: II
Product Code: 90 JAK Dated: June 27, 2002 Received: July 2, 2002
Dear Mr. Gmelin:
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device referenced above and have determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food. Drug. and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application (PMA). You may, therefore, market the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it may be subject to additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register.
Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not mean that FDA has made a determination that your device complies with other requirements of the Act or any Federal statutes and regulations administered by other Federal agencies. You must comply with all the Act's requirements, including, but not limited to: registration and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); good manufacturing practice requirements as set forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the electronic product radiation control provisions (sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
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This letter will allow you to begin marketing your device as described in your 510(k) premarket notification. The FDA finding of substantial equivalence of your device to a legally marketed predicate device results in a classification for your device and thus, permits your device to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please contact the Office of Compliance at one of the following numbers, based on the regulation number at the top of this letter:
| 8xx.1xxx | (301) 594-4591 |
|----------------------------------|----------------|
| 876.2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx | (301) 594-4616 |
| 884.2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx | (301) 594-4616 |
| 892.2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx | (301) 594-4654 |
| Other | (301) 594-4692 |
Additionally, for questions on the promotion and advertising of your device, please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-4639. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21 CFR Part 807.97). Other general information on your responsibilities under the Act may be obtained from the Division of Small Manufacturers, International and Consumer Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 443-6597 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/dsmamain.html.
Sincerely yours,
Nancy C. Hogdon
Nancy C. Brogdon Director, Division of Reproductive, Abdominal, and Radiological Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
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### Indication for use
510(k) Number (if known):
K022013
Device Name:
Lung CARE CT Software Package
Lung CARE CT is a self-contained image analysis software package for evaluating CT volume data sets. Combining enhanced commercially available digital image processing tools with optimized workflow and reporting tools, the software is designed to support the physician in confirming the presence of absence of physician-identified lung lesions (eg. nodules) in addition to evaluation, documentation and follow-up of any such lesions using standard or low-dose spiral CT scanning. This evaluation tool allows for volumetric analysis of pulmonary nodule or lesion size over time, helping the Physician to assess the changes in their growth. It is also designed to help the physician classify conspicuous regions of tissue unambiguously, with respect to their size, dimensions, shape and position.
(Please do not write below this line - continue on another page if needed)
Concurrence of the CDRH, Office of Device Evaluation (ODE)
| (Division Sign-Off) | |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------|
| Division of Reproductive, Abdominal, and Radiological Devices | |
| 510(k) Number | K020013 |
| Prescription Use (Per 21 CFR 801.109) | OR Over-The-Counter Use |
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------|
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.