Evaluation: Siemens Somatom Force Advanced Imaging CT System
October 27, 2023 | Evaluations & Guidance
Preview
- This system has advanced features for cardiac, stroke, trauma, spectral, pediatric, and low-dose imaging. It can also be used for general radiology.
- Major system components and software features:
- X-ray generator: the system is equipped with two 120 kW generators that are water cooled.
- X-ray tube: the system is equipped with two Vectron x-ray tubes. Vectron is a high-performance x-ray tube in which the electron beam is rapidly deflected, creating two focal spots alternating 4,480 times per second to create two overlapping projections in z-axis. Also, the Vectron tube has the power to maintain image quality at lower kV in adults and obese patients. The combination of the low-kV capability and the selective filtration allows for imaging the colon or lung with air and soft tissue.
- Tube voltage: 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 kVp; the system has a tin filter that can be applied to 100 kV and 150 kV for dual-energy imaging
- Tube current: 20 to 1,300 mA, 1,300 mA at voltages up to 90 kV, and 800 mA at 150 kV
- Tube heat capacity: 30 MHU (mega heat units) equivalent value compared to the performance of a conventional tube
- Tube heat dissipation rate: 7,300 kHU/min
- Detector: the two StellarInfinity detectors are capable of supporting features such as low-dose imaging, low-kV imaging, perfusion imaging, and high-definition imaging, with up to 4,200 views per rotation.
- Each detector has 5.76 cm z-axis coverage with 96 rows that generate 192 slices.
- Low-contrast resolution is measured on a 20 cm (8 in) Catphan phantom, 10 mm slice thickness, using a helical scan.
- A 2 mm diameter object with a contrast of 0.30% (3 Hounsfield units HU) can be resolved with a dose of 12.3 mGy.
- A 3 mm diameter object with a contrast of 0.30% (3 HU) can be resolved with a dose of 10 mGy.
- A 5 mm diameter object with a contrast of 0.30% (3 HU) can be resolved with a dose of 6 mGy.
- High-contrast resolution: modulation transfer function (MTF) is measured on the Siemens Platelet phantom for in-plane and z-plane, respectively. Standard mode: (a) 50% MTF is 12.4 lp/cm for x-y plane and 10.4 lp/cm for z-plane