Siemens Healthcare announced the first installation of the company's SOMATOM Definition AS (Adaptive Scanner) 20-slice configuration CT system at Center for Diagnostic Imaging (CDI). SOMATOM Definition AS is designed to adapt to any patient, adapts for new dimensions, adapts for complete dose protection and adapts to the user's space.

The installation of the SOMATOM Definition AS 20-slice CT is consistent with our ongoing commitment to provide high-quality images and care to our patients and physicians, states Patricia Zadra, CDI Regional VP. In addition to the lower radiation dose patients will receive, the system’s scalability is important to our business operations. We will be able to easily upgrade our CT capabilities as demand for advanced imaging services in our community grows.

The SOMATOM Definition AS platform introduces a further expansion with its new 20-slice configuration, optional 660 pounds (300 kg) patient weight capacity, a large 31-inch (78 cm) gantry bore and high-scan speed, designed perfectly for high-patient throughput. Apart from the morphological imaging, the unique Adaptive 4D spiral mode, the Definition AS 20 is intended to offer functional imaging with perfusion capabilities of the brain and other organs as well and an extended coverage of up to 7 cm.

The SOMATOM Definition AS 20 can be custom-made to meet a hospital’s clinical needs and make the most complex procedures routine. Apart from its large bore and high capacity patient table, the technology couples components in a dynamic manner, like a large-volume coverage area with a 200 cm scan range and up to 330 msec rotation time.

All these features allow even the most clinically challenged patients to be imaged rapidly, from head to toe, without difficulty. The Definition AS is also available in 40-slice, 64-slice, and 128-slice – AS+ configurations and can be field upgraded to other configurations with minimal downtime thus allowing the technology to grow with the institution’s needs, while minimizing downtime.

In this challenging economy, the SOMATOM Definition AS 20 is the perfect fit for facilities facing tight budgets, but still need a CT scanner that can adapt to their growth potential, said Kulin Hemani, vice president, Computed Tomography, Siemens Healthcare. The system’s flexibility allows a facility to upgrade its technology, as well as grow its clinical service lines.

The SOMATOM Definition AS is able to adapt to the space constraints many facilities face as it requires very little floor space, with a 194-square-foot footprint. This allows the Definition AS to fit into rooms that have been too small for high-end CT scanners.