CT system enhances imaging for bariatric and elderly patients in Northumbria
Wansbeck General Hospital installs Siemens\' SOMATOM Definition AS+
Wansbeck General Hospital has deployed a new CT system to improve services for elderly and bariatric patients.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has procured a SOMATOM Definition AS+ CT system with the advanced visualisation platform, syngo.via, from Siemens Healthcare.
The SOMATOM Definition AS+ system offers high-speed whole-body coverage at high spatial resolution, with paediatric and bariatric CT imaging allowing for minimum patient exclusion. The system also features FAST CARE technology to accelerate workflow while offering low dose and the use of Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction (SAFIRE) technology for access to iterative reconstruction for low dose usage with fast workflow. The system’s capabilities for 3D-guided interventional CT and whole organ coverage further enhance the department’s clinical capabilities.
The syngo.via imaging software and platform is used in conjunction with Wansbeck’s existing IT infrastructure, negating the need for expenditure on additional workstations. Furthermore, it gives flexibility to radiologists by allowing them to view and share CT images from anywhere inside the hospital or remotely.
“Since its installation, the SOMATOM Definition AS+ from Siemens Healthcare has proved invaluable in delivering comfort to bariatric, elderly and claustrophobic patients due to its wide bore,” said Pamela Kitto, CT superintendent at the hospital. “The system’s reputation for reliability made the Definition AS+ attractive to us, while the combination of SAFIRE and CARE technologies has allowed us to use a noticeably low dose. The installation of the CT system with syngo.via has meant radiologists are no longer tethered to fixed workstations and can access the images anywhere, at any time. This has delivered flexibility and increased staff productivity.”
