Siemens Introduces its New Power Couple at RSNA 2009

Siemens Healthcare redefines productivity with a new generation of its Tim (Total imaging matrix) technology and with its new Dot (Day optimizing throughput) engine. Both technologies are introduced in the new MAGNETOM Aera* 1.5 Tesla (T) and the new MAGNETOM Skyra* 3T scanners at the 95th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) from November 29 to December 3 at McCormick Place (Booth #825, East Building/Lakeside Center, Hall D) in Chicago.

These two new scanners are the first to incorporate both Tim and Dot technology. The combination of Tim and Dot delivers patient-centered care and significantly improves productivity across the entire MRI workflow. Siemens will also demonstrate additional innovations, such as the Tim Dockable Table, for easy patient preparation outside the scanner room, and an all new coil architecture incorporating DirectConnect coil design, providing cableless coils for fast and easy set up and higher Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).

The Siemens-unique Tim technology was launched in 2003. Since then, more than 4,000 Tim systems have been sold. Tim 4G* is the latest version of Tim and the most advanced generation of coil technology. After conventional and array technology, Siemens pioneered Integrated Panoramic Array technology in 1997 and the Tim technology in 2003. Tim 4G is now the 4th generation, offering ultra-high-density coils, DirectRF and other features for improved flexibility, accuracy and speed. Tim 4G technology provides newly designed ultra-high density coils with an array of up to 204 coil elements that utilize up to 128 channels. As a result, the user will have enough channels to support imaging with ultra-high density coils, excellent image quality with high signal-to-noise is routine and high processing speed improves productivity even further. Additionally, without coil or patient repositioning the Tim coils allow covering the complete anatomy of the patient from whole body coverage (up to 205 cm) to smallest details.

Today’s healthcare environment is increasingly faced with less staff, less reimbursement, less time. With the advance RF solution, Siemens was able to focus on the productivity, across the entire MRI workflow, and thus developed the Day optimizing throughput (Dot) engine. Dot multiplies the power of its Tim technology, resulting in greater image consistency, improved diagnostic confidence, greater ease of use, and increased productivity.

Consistent, robust images can be achieved by automating exams, as well as personalizing each exam for virtually every patient to better help staff to provide superb, more effective patient care. Add to this the importance of highly optimized use of all resources 24/7, and productivity improves across every aspect of the clinical and business day. And this is where Tim and Dot come in. “We strive to be a part of the solution to the challenges in Healthcare today.

Siemens is proud to welcome in a new era of MRI,” said Walter Maerzendorfer, CEO of the Business Unit Magnetic Resonance, Siemens Healthcare. “Tim and Dot are the direct response to today’s demanding world of healthcare economics. Together, they deliver faster, more efficient throughput for up to 30 percent more productivity per day.”

Tim: 4G Flexibility, 4G Accuracy, 4G Speed

Tim is the ultimate innovation technology with new patient-adaptive technology, enhancing image quality and acquisition speed, as well as raising productivity in every day practice. Tim offers a completely redesigned RF system and an all-new innovative coil architecture that packs more coil elements into a smaller space (up to 204 coil elements with 48 channels as standard configuration), unlocking the possibility of higher element configurations and higher SNR. The result is high-resolution imaging that holds up even when zooming in on multi-station images.

With up to 128 channels, Tim provides enough channels to utilize ultra-high density coils. Tim enables increased resolution and a total field of view of up to 205 cm with no coil or patient repositioning. With Tim, the most flexible Parallel Imaging is offered enabling simultaneous parallel acquisition in two directions for fast, high-resolution 3D data in a breath hold and this is supported by inline multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) capabilities. The DirectConnect coil design provides cable-less coils for fast and easy set up and higher SNR. For flexible coils, one-hand operation with SlideConnect makes patient set-up even easier.

For superb coverage of the patient’s anatomy the Tim coils allow you to select exams, not coils. Tim’s coils can be seamlessly integrated to support large anatomic coverage, for instance, combining head, neck, body and spine coil elements to create a neurovascular array. Furthermore, the new coils are incredibly lightweight (18-channel Body coil of about 1 kg) and easy on the patient.

The new Tim Dockable Table comes with an integrated, removable Spine 32-channel coil. It is completely Tim-compatible, with integrated DirectConnect and SlideConnect coil ports. Critically ill, physically challenged, bariatric patients and other immobile types of patients can be prepared outside the scanner room and wheeled in for the exam. The table holds up to 250 kg / 550 lbs, even when mobile. For patient safety, handrails are integrated into the Tim Dockable Table. It is easily docked to the magnet and allows faster exam set-up and higher patient throughput. DirectRF, Tim’s new all digital-in/digital-out design, integrates all RF transmit and receive components at the magnet, eliminating analog cables for true signal purity.

This compact and efficient design enables an immediate feedback loop for real-time sequence adaptation. TimTX TrueForm enables optimized RF transmission for excellent B1 homogeneity and scalability to higher numbers of transmit channels to empower new applications**.

Dot: Personalized, Guided, Automated

Completing MR’s power couple, Dot makes it easy to get the best possible results for virtually any type of patient, providing uniquely tailored, optimized scans configurable to patient condition or clinical question. Dot proposes optimal exam strategies, requiring only confirmation prior to scanning. Dot adapts to each patient’s breath-hold capacity and then links to your best scanning protocol to match. Personalized, high-quality exams can be easily reproduced, even when conditions change. Now, every patient gets the same consistent exam every time.

Dot can also be customized easily to reflect the standards of care of each individual institution. With real-time on-board guidance, Dot guides the user, step by step through even the most complicated exams, providing instant help, how-to descriptions, and example images, readily, within view. At critical steps in the scanning process, your decision points are presented. The user can add or eliminate protocols or groups of protocols with the click of a button. Dot can be easily customized to steps, images, text, and protocols to follow individual standards of care. Patient data and positioning information is provided at the scanner for accurate and fast patient set-up.

With intelligent automated workflows customized to your standards scans are completed faster and more easily, with less chance of errors or repeats. Dot links proper protocols and procedures, so that the optimal Field of View (FoV) is instantly estimated. And automated positioning and alignment of slices can provide fast and robust image quality across all patients. Dot also integrates AutoVoice Commands into the scan process, ensuring the synchronized timing of breathing and scanning, while lowering variability and stress for the MRI technologist. Dot offers optimized Engines for brain, cardiac, abdomen, knee, angiographic, and oncology exams.

MAGNETOM Aera (1.5T) and MAGNETOM Skyra (3T) – Transforming productivity in MRI

“The pressure to control costs in the hospital environment, while still providing the best care, has never been greater. We are committed to continue investing in technology innovations that can play a role in improving healthcare efficiency,” said Walter Maerzendorfer. “With the introduction of these revolutionary MR systems, our focus was on increasing the productivity of our customers and improving the experience of their patients.” Both systems provide 70 cm Open-bore design together with the innovations: Tim and Dot. Thus setting a new standard of efficiency, ease of use, and is designed to bring extraordinary value across the entire imaging process. Tim supplies the power needed for superb image quality, while Dot takes away the complexity inherent in MR scanning.

The 70 cm Open-bore design of MAGNETOM Aera and Skyra can accommodate a large variety of patient sizes, shapes and conditions. The friendly and open appearance helps to reduce sedation rates, minimizes stress for claustrophobic patients, and leads to higher throughput and more referrals. And the super-short magnets allow many studies to be completed with the patient’s head outside the bore while still supporting a full 50 cm FoV (45 cm in z-direction). Tim’s new ultra high-density array, with up to 204 coil elements combined with a new RF design with up to 128 RF channels, leads to an enormous SNR increase. This enables high-resolution imaging that holds up even when zooming in on multi-station images. The 3T MAGNETOM Skyra is also optimized with Siemens TimTX TrueForm design for unmatched B1 homogeneity. Clear, sharp images can be viewed with 50 percent more imaging volume and TimTX TrueForm provides the foundation for multi-channel transmit array capabilities at 3T.

In addition to Tim and Dot, both the MAGNETOM Aera and MAGNETOM Skyra come with Tim DirectConnect cableless coils and an optional Tim Dockable Table. The newly designed cover provides the illumination MoodLight allowing the color of the front panel to be freely chosen. All mentioned features sum up to higher diagnostic confidence, easier and faster patient handling and improved comfort for user and patient. The improved productivity at the scanner is pushed even further with the new Siemens syngo.via imaging software. With syngo.via productivity in MR reading is increased by up to 50 percent. syngo.via sorts the images automatically, prepares the case and every step is guided the way the user wants it. syngo.via uniquely integrates imaging modalities and IT, making it possible to access and share information anywhere. Protocol planning can now be done remotely and all the information needed is transferred to the scanner automatically. Tim and Dot together with syngo.via will dramatically increase productivity in MR by transforming the whole workflow from planning, scanning up to reading and result sharing.

* The information about this product is being provided for planning purposes. The product requires 510(k) review and is not commercially available in the US.

** available only in 3T

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens is the only company to offer customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 49,000 employees worldwide and operates in over 130 countries. In fiscal year 2008 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 11.2 billion euros and profit of 1.2 billion euros.