Somatom Drive Launched at ECR

Eberhard ten Weges discussing the launch of the latest Dual Source scanner Somatom Drive at this year’s ECR.

The scanner is a computer tomograph with two X-ray tubes and detectors, and strengthens Siemens’ Dual Source portfolio. Patients benefit from precise diagnostics, examinations with especially low X-ray and contrast media doses, as well as imaging without breathhold.

Somatom Drive is the new Dual Source scanner launched here at this year’s meeting of the European Congress of Radiology (ECR). “We aim to help the customer to drive towards precision medicine, that is giving the right dose for the right patient in any situation across a range of medical fields including trauma, and pediatric among others. This is becoming increasingly more important,” Mr. ten Weges explained.

Siemens introduced Dual Source technology over a decade ago and is the only manufacturer of its kind. The high-end research scanner—the Somatom Force—has a rotation time of 0.25 seconds, while bordering on this high level of performance is the Somaton Drive that has a rotation time of 0.28 seconds at low dose. Completing the series of Dual Source scanners is the Somatom Flash scanner which features the option of a rotation time of 0.28 seconds, or 0.3 seconds on the standard setting.

Pediatric and trauma patients in particular experience the benefits of the Somatom Drive with its fast rotation time. “The great benefit of scanning this fast is that the patient no longer requires sedation. It works very well in pediatric patients who can have difficulty following instructions to keep still or hold the breath for certain regions of the body such as heart or lungs, or they might be on a respirator,” said Mr ten Weges. He added that other benefits include not needing to use beta-blockers to slow the heartbeat since a cardiac scan can be performed in one heartbeat.

Mr. ten Weges also explained that also for a car crash victim who typically may have many complicated and unknown injuries, a fast scanner is essential. “This high speed scanner can scan a body range of 45.8 cm in one second so even if the patient moves due to pain or similar then this does not interfere with the clarity of image acquired.”

The first clinical cases were conducted at a first customer site, at the Vienna General Hospital, Austria while the ECR meeting was ongoing. A dose of 0.01 mSv for a wrist scan was used reflecting the conventional X-ray dosing level. “Right from the start the scanner has been working well. They performed 10–15 examinations on the first day,” reported Mr. ten Weges. “When asked what was so impressive about the scanner, the professor running the test scans said it was the low dose that is on the level of conventional X-ray.”

The Somatom Drive is also the first scanner on the market with the added feature of touch panels, which facilitate intuitive operability for swift and effective positioning. The operator can situate themselves beside the scanner, away from radiation exposure, a feature that is particularly important for pediatric patients who clearly benefit from having an adult in the room near them.

The Somatom Drive will be globally available later this year but delivery will commence in July 2016.

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