CT System and Imaging Software Enhance Patient Throughput

A new computed tomography (CT) imaging application gives radiologists the flexibility to analyze and report on CT scans at any suitable workstation within the hospital, removing the dependency on single review points and thereby enhancing productivity.

Freeman Hospital (Newcastle, UK), part of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS [National Health Service] Foundation Trust, has installed a Somatom Definition AS CT with syngo.via to assist with flexibility and increased patient throughput. It is hoped the new CT from Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) will enhance patient services and increase staff productivity.


The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has recently undergone a restructure of its services and its physical estate as part of an ongoing modernization process. The Freeman Hospital has expanded its CT product range with the installation of the Definition AS to enhance clinical services and the overall patient experience.

As a tertiary referral site, now housing the Northern Center for Cancer Care, Freeman Hospital is looking at new ways to use CT, increasing its use of CT colonography, CT coronary angiography, and interventional CT applications. Furthermore, with the Definition’s adaptive dose shield this ensures patients are only exposed to the minimum dose required. “The speed of the Definition AS combined with excellent image quality and automatic postprocessing and presentation of image sets will help improve productivity and aid in patient diagnosis,” said Graeme Hughes, radiology manager at Freeman Hospital. “The advanced imaging software, syngo.via, allows radiologists to report in multiple locations with access to the same features and functionality that would traditionally be found at the modality workstation.”

“The Somatom Definition AS, with its wide bore, high spatial resolution, and low dose capabilities is a highly adaptable system, designed to meet a vast scope of imaging requirements,” said Neil Lincoln, northern sales manager at Siemens Healthcare. “In addition to allowing radiologists to view advanced 3D [three-dimensional]-rendered imaging and results from any location, syngo.via’s automated case preparation tools reduce manual intervention by automating complex repetitive and time-consuming tasks.”

Related Links:
Siemens Healthcare
Freeman Hospital