Siemens Healthineers Introduces SOMATOM On.site Mobile Head CT Scanner and AI-based MRI Assistants at RSNA

Siemens Healthineers (Erlangen, Germany) presented its new mobile head CT scanner, Somatom On.site and introduced artificial intelligence (AI)-based software assistants for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at RSNA 2019.

Siemens Healthineers’ new Somatom On.site mobile CT system allows the scanner to be taken to the ICU so that patients can be examined from their bedside, instead of transferring patients to the radiology department for a CT scan. Patients no longer have to be swapped from fixed devices (such as ventilators) to portable ones, then transport and scan the patient, then reattach the fixed devices. This removes the need for complicated patient transportation that involves multiple staff members and a high risk for the patient, thus revolutionizing scanning for intensive-care patients with skull and brain disorders.

Somatom On.site’s mobile concept includes a camera that displays the area in front of the device in real time on the integrated touchscreen. Users are supported by a motorized scanner trolley that enables intuitive and precise deployment in small spaces, and does not move during imaging, which prevents motion-induced image artifacts. Somatom On.site also features a revolutionary usability concept, the myExam Companion which guides users of all levels of experience through neuro exams and helps them achieve consistent results for diagnosis.

“For us, Somatom On.site is a fundamentally new approach to performing CT head scans for patients in intensive care. The combination of mobility, user-friendliness, and consistent image quality enables unprecedented levels of patient safety. At the same time, healthcare providers can make even more optimal use of their staff and CT fleet,” said Philipp Fischer, Head of Computed Tomography at Siemens Healthineers.

At RSNA 2019, Siemens Healthineers also introduced two software assistants based on AI that are designed to free radiologists from the burden of performing routine activities during MRI examinations in the body regions brain and prostate. AI-Rad Companion Brain MR for Morphometry Analysis automatically segments the brain in MRI images, measures brain volume, and marks volume deviations in result tables used by neurologists for diagnosis and treatment. AI-Rad Companion Prostate MR for Biopsy Support automatically segments the outer contour of the prostate on MRI images and enables radiologists to mark lesions, making it easier for their colleagues in urology to perform targeted prostate biopsies. Both the applications can be used on MRI scanners from different manufacturers and are available on teamplay, the cloud-based healthcare platform from Siemens Healthineers.

“With the new AI-based assistants, we are expanding our diagnostic offering to help our customers increase efficiency and improve the quality of care. We firmly believe that AI will help physicians deal with their workload and benefit patients by helping achieve an improved, patient-focused decision-making process,” said Peter Koerte, Head of Digital Health at Siemens Healthineers.

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