The new Somatom Spirit from Siemens Medical Solutions is a compact multislice CT scanner that was launched at UKRC in Manchester to enable the cost-effective strategy of local CT. The company is pursuing a strategy to meet both the targets set and the latest clinical guidelines for patients presenting with head trauma or related symptoms. The concept of local CT is to provide an enhanced patient service for routine studies due to the scanner’s proximity to the patient source, whether that is A&E, ITU or specialist clinics.
Versatile CT scanner
Success is achieved by combining three elements to improve patient outcomes. These include image quality, cost-effectiveness and service delivery. The Somatom Spirit, with its sub-second, multislice capability, provides the performance and image quality needed for all routine studies, not just the head. Excellent access to patients and high patient acceptability is enabled with Siemens’ slimmest CT gantry, at only 646 mm.
The Spirit costs no more to buy and run than an average single detector DR system but provides greater clinical benefit. Easily slotting into an existing X-ray room or other area, the Spirit has been designed to require minimal space and installation requirements.
Service delivery is optimised by; having a CT Scanner to deal with all the routine examinations, minimising disruption to the main department systems; having a simple operating system, enabling even junior staff to use with minimal training; speeding up patient throughput due to the location of the system; full connectivity to the PACS or hospital network ensuring the images and the report are delivered promptly.
