High specification scanners for Leeds

The site, a teaching centre for radiologists and radiographers from across Europe, has chosen two high specification Avantos which incorporate 76 seamlessly integrated coil elements with 32 RF channels.

Among the reasons for the selection of the high end MAGNETOM Avanto was its use of Siemens’ Total imaging matrix (Tim) technology which provides significant advantages in Cardiac imaging.

Tim enables high resolution images of the heart and the vessel tree at highspeed throughout at a patient size as tall as 205 cm. For example, a whole body angiography exam from head to toe with a high resolution of less than 1 mm can be completed in only minutes, looking for both stenoses and plaques. Then, without coil repositioning, it is possible to easily zoom into the heart and perform a comprehensive cardiac MR exam including morphology, wall motion, ventricular function, dynamic studies and tissue characterisation in less than 20 minutes.

This is accomplished with Siemens’ Syngo BEAT, a complete Cardiac acquisition module and in-line evaluation and processing software, which provides a quick and easy means to gain the clinical study results enabling the referring clinician to guide patient management. Siemens understands that the patient workflow in cardiac MR examinations have moved beyond post processing to in-line processing which happens simultaneously with the scan in order to provide faster diagnostic results.

Julie Shepherd, MR product manager for the UK, said: “The Leeds Trust is an extremely busy cardiac MRI centre with very high expectations and the changeover to the MAGNETOM Avantos has been achieved without a noticeable dip in service levels or throughput. We are very pleased with this and are looking to build on the initial success by using the Avantos to enhance and extend patient care, through potential joint research in cardiac and musculoskeletal MRI.”