systemPhilipsInterventional X Rayfamily: allura-xper

Philips Allura Clarity FD20

Family: Allura Xper · Modality: Interventional X-Ray

Allura Xper FD20 chassis + mechanics, with the ClarityIQ image-processing pipeline layered into the imaging chain. Delivers materially lower patient and operator dose at matched image quality versus the Xper-only FD20 — the defining commercial claim of the Clarity generation. ClarityIQ shipped on late-production Allura units before Azurion carried the dose-reduction lineage forward as a built-in rather than an upgrade.

What Clarity is (and isn't)

  • Software + imaging-chain license — not a new gantry. The chassis, C-arm, table, generator, and MRC tube class are identical to an Xper FD20.
  • ClarityIQ pipeline — detector optimization, pixel processing, noise reduction, and motion-adaptive filtering that collectively maintain diagnostic image quality at substantially lower radiation dose. Published Philips and peer-reviewed per-procedure dose-reduction figures span a wide range depending on protocol (coronary, peripheral, neuro) and baseline technique.
  • Licensing dependency — the ClarityIQ license status must be explicitly confirmed on a pre-owned Clarity unit. A Clarity label without an active license is functionally an Xper FD20.

Detector and tube

  • 19″ rotatable flat-panel detector — same detector class and 2k × 2k resolution as FD20.
  • MRC-class rotating-anode tube with the Clarity-generation tube optimization.
  • 100 kW high-frequency generator — unchanged from Xper-generation FD20.

Clinical positioning

  • Cardiac — coronary angiography, PCI, structural-heart procedural guidance.
  • Peripheral vascular — lower-extremity, aortoiliac, carotid / SFA interventions.
  • Neuro interventional — cerebral angiography, aneurysm coiling, stroke thrombectomy.
  • Oncologic IR — TACE, Y-90, embolization with CBCT.
  • Pediatric — dose-reduction value is most consequential in pediatric populations where cumulative dose matters most.

ClarityIQ versus Azurion

Azurion is a full platform replacement, not a Clarity upgrade. Azurion carries ClarityIQ-class dose reduction as a built-in feature alongside new workflow (ProcedureCards, interactive table control, table-side touch interface). Clarity FD20 owners considering a step up are typically evaluating Azurion 3 / 5 / 7 as the replacement path rather than further Clarity software.

Relationship to siblings

Acceptance-test posture

  • ClarityIQ license status screenshot (active licensing page).
  • Software revision — R8.1 / R8.2 production.
  • Tube hour and tube-scan-counter status.
  • Detector calibration date + last image-QA phantom.
  • DICOM AE / Modality Worklist integration verified.

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