According to G.I. Joe, “Knowing is half the battle.” That also goes for medical imaging insights, such as knowing what’s happening with the X-ray tube inside a Siemens CT system.
Accessing the system’s tube history log is an excellent way to gain knowledge about the condition of the tube and other factors you need to know to properly maintain a CT scan.
Log in to the service platform, go to the “Reports” tab, and look for the “Tube History” section. There you’ll find a collection of information about the proprietary Straton X-ray tube installed in the system.
One of the key pieces of data in the log is the number of scan seconds on the tube. On a Siemens Sensation 64, the Straton Z CT tube (Part #7737807) typically lasts for as long as 500,000+ scan seconds, although it could fail as early as 350,000 scan seconds. That equates to around three years for the average hospital or imaging clinic. But, if you’re a third-party service engineer, you may not immediately know where a tube is in its expected lifespan, which is just one instance where the tube history log becomes valuable.
Knowing the number of scan seconds on the CT X-ray tube can help you plan for when you should order a replacement CT X-ray tube and budget for the expense rather than waiting too long and encountering system downtime.
Among the other information is a record of tube arcs on the system, which is something you should check if technicians complain of scan interruptions, and it can aid in troubleshooting after you receive certain error codes.
In the video below, we walk you through the tube history log on a Siemens Sensation 64, including how to access the details of tube error reporting.
The tube history log is an effective way to keep tabs on the condition of X-ray tubes in Siemens CT scanners. But, there may be times when you need some additional expertise.
If you need help navigating to the right information, or are struggling to diagnose an issue with a Siemens system, give the imaging engineers in our 24-hour support center a call at 855-463-3727. Unlike the OEM, on-the-spot troubleshooting assistance from DirectMed Imaging is available at no charge to you, even if you’ve never ordered from us before. Find out more about DirectMed Imaging Siemens medical imaging support.
In addition to providing support, DirectMed Imaging also specializes in training imaging engineers on Siemens systems, improving your ability to service and maintain a variety of equipment.
When you do have tubes that are nearing end of life (EOL), turn to DirectMed Imaging for reliable replacement parts. Our DOA rate is consistently lower than the OEM’s. Plus, we offer pre-owned and new X-ray tubes, both with significant cost savings in comparison to the manufacturer’s prices. View upcoming Siemens CT training opportunities now.
Our goal is to be there for medical imaging engineers at the moment of truth to help you be the heroes of health care technology management.
