Transporting a critically ill patient to radiology for routine examinations not only requires staffing resources, time, and energy, but it can also put the patient through unnecessary stress and increased risk.
A mobile computed tomography (CT) scanner developed by Siemens now allows the unit to be wheeled right into the patient rooms for bedside procedures, rather than transporting the patient to radiology.
In this manner, the SOMATOM On.site transforms care delivery and improves the overall patient and staff experience.
“The SOMATOM On.site is a fundamentally new approach for CT head scans of intensive care patients,” says Philipp Fischer, Head of Computed Tomography, Siemens Healthineers, at the 105th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) last December in Chicago.
“It offers a combination of mobility, ease of use, and the image quality customers have come to expect from SOMATOM CT scanners. At the same time, it allows healthcare providers to use their staff and their permanently installed CT fleet even more effectively.”
As the Siemens SOMATOM On.site mobile CT scanner is wheeled into the patient’s room, examinations can be administered right by the bedside, so the patient doesn’t even have to get out of bed. A simple adjustment of the headboard is all that is needed to allow adequate access inside the scanner.
A head holder and shoulder board attached to the scanner aids in ensuring that the alignment of the head is straight and accurate. All the tubes and cables remain attached to the patient (and relatively undisturbed) throughout the procedure.
The system’s new intelligent user interface, myExam Companion, assists the radiology technician to navigate through the examination for consistent results, regardless of experience level.
Following image acquisition, the radiology technician slides the patient down in the bed from the headboard, and the CT scan is sent automatically to the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) at the hospital’s radiological image database. A staff radiologist can then review the scans immediately thereafter.
This streamlined process typically takes minutes, requires minimal staffing, and reduces potential risk for the patient.
The integrated drive camera in the front of the scanner offers real-time viewing on the built-in touch display, allowing for easy maneuvering of the scanner. The smart driving concept with the motorized trolley and ergonomic handle helps enable precise, intuitive positioning even in small spaces.
More information about the SOMATOM On.site mobile CT scanner by Siemens is available on the Siemens Healthineers official website.
Shaping the future of healthcare from their company headquarters in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare.
Today, Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing new products and services to add to its portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology.
(Sources: BusinessWire, Medgadget, and Biospace.com.)
