Your Guide to Medical Imaging Equipment

Getting a new open MRI scanner can be exciting: new capabilities, new ways to serve patients, and (maybe) eligibility for new reimbursements. But, before you go out and make an equipment purchase, you'll need to contain your excitement for a little while and sort out some logistics. Namely, you'll need to make sure just how much scanner your facility's infrastructure can handle.

With that need-to-know in mind, we've compiled the table below to show you the approximate system weight of the most popular open MRI scanners.

I've been in the MRI machine business for quite some time; discussing their attributes, comparing and contrasting, and poring over spec sheets, but I'd never interacted with one as a patient until a few years ago. I took a serious spill off my bicycle and needed to be checked for head and neck injuries. The experience left me with a new appreciation for some of the options MRI manufacturers have developed. Specifically: closed, open, and wide MRI bores.

Need pricing details on open MRI machines vs. closed MRI? Click here to request a comparison quote.

When people hit the market for a 64-slice CT scanner, the GE VCT and the Siemens Sensation are two models that are likely to be "first pagers" on that initial Google search. While these models aren't that hard to find, what can be much harder is deciphering how they stack up side-by-side. They're both 64-slice scanners, with high-end features and upgrade options, from well-respected, leading manufacturers- and they fall in the same ballpark price bracket. So how do you choose?

Below are a few considerations from both the hardware/features side of things and the ownership experience that will help as you narrow down your 64-slice CT scanner options.

The Axiom Artis is one of the most prevalent product lines from Siemens in the interventional radiology category. One thing you’ll notice as you begin to look for information on the Axiom Artis is how many varieties it comes in: floor- mounted vs. ceiling-mounted vs. a combination of both, image intensifiers vs. detectors, single-plane vs. bi-plane. On top of that, there are numerous software configurations which will determine the kinds of studies each system is equipped to accommodate.

To denote the configuration of each system, Siemens has developed a "code" consisting of eight letters. With so many feature combinations, however, the code leaves you with a lot of acronyms and, perhaps, less clarity than the folks at Siemens might have hoped. We’ve decoded the acronyms below to assist anyone perusing Siemens interventional suites to better understand which system is the right fit.

The GE Logiq line of ultrasound systems is long standing and quite popular around the world. However, the line also consists of a number of models extending into the double digits. When considering a Logiq system for your next ultrasound solution, the process of weeding out exactly which of the many types is best for your facility's needs can become daunting.

For those of you who are looking for a general use-oriented ultrasound system, we want to help take some of the guesswork out of the decision process by comparing two of the most multi-use GE Logiq systems, the Logiq E9 and the Logiq F8, side-by-side. Keep reading for a practical comparison of applications, features, and pricing.