Siemens Honored for Product Innovation

Siemens Medical Solutions (Erlangen, Germany) recently received two product innovation awards from Frost & Sullivan (Palo Alto, CA, USA), an interventional growth consultancy company, for its Somatom Definition computed tomography (CT) and Magnetom Espree magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems.

The award in the field of cardiac CT imaging recognizes Siemens' innovative work on developing the Definition, the world's first dual-source CT imaging system. The system incorporates an additional x-ray tube and detector to the CT architecture that helps improve image quality, lowers radiation exposure, and speeds up the diagnostic process without the use of beta blockers. The Somatoms Definition is particularly beneficial in imaging heart patients with high or irregular heart beats, and who have difficulty holding their breath. Imaging can be performed in a breath-hold of five to six seconds.

Siemens also received the award for the introduction of its Magnetom Espree, the first open-bore MRI scanner at 1.5 Tesla (1.5T), with a very spacious patient-entry diameter Whereas most high-field MRI scanners are closed-bore systems, the Espree has an ultra-short magnet that is only 125-cm long. The patient-entry diameter is 70 cm in width--over 10% larger than comparable systems. These dimensions allow for a patient's head and feet to be outside of the scanner for any scans below the neck, dramatically reducing anxiety and claustrophobic anxieties that make many patients uncomfortable during MRI scans.

"Siemens has really revolutionized the views on traditional CT and MRI scanning: no longer do patients have to trade anxiety for high-resolution imaging due to the introduction of the Definition and the Espree,” said Subha Basu and Sachin Thukral, research analysts, Frost & Sullivan's Healthcare Group.



Related Links:
Siemens Medical Solutions
Frost & Sullivan