When it comes to keeping medical imaging equipment running like the well-oiled machines (or sophisticated electronics and magnets) they are designed to be, proper MRI preventative maintenance service is key.
Not unlike house upkeep, routine maintenance tasks like dusting nooks and crannies, checking the meter for water leaks, HVAC issues, or changing light bulbs are important to ensuring a stable, hospitable environment. However, not all home maintenance–or MRI preventative maintenance for that matter–is intuitive. Sometimes you need to call the proverbial plumber.
That’s where experts in preventative maintenance, like Altima Diagnostic Imaging Solutions, for medical imaging equipment can give you a leg up on protecting some of your organization’s largest investments from wear, tear, dust, cryogenic failure or even full-blown quenching.
Below is a list of three key features you should consider in an effective MRI preventative maintenance plan to keep your diagnostic imaging center running smoothly and accreditation intact.
MRI Environment
When you think of protecting Siemens MRI & CT equipment with a preventative maintenance service plan, your first consideration should be the sanitization of the environment your machine is in. Cleaning equipment and maintaining a temperature equilibrium in your imaging room is a crucial part of an MRI preventative maintenance plan. With such delicate components involved (i.e. magnetic, gradient, shim, and RF coils and shielding), keeping the environment to the specifications of your machine’s OEM standards for proper ventilation, humidity levels, temperature control, and cleanliness is essential, especially when it comes to maintaining accreditation and staying eligible for reimbursement.
Altima does cooling filter cleaning, for example, ensuring proper MRI temperatures to avoid catastrophic problems such as quenching. Without proper temperature balance, the magnetic coils within an MRI can warm above absolute zero (AKA quenching), losing their conducting abilities and magnetic field (and the ability to take proper images). Repairing this issue can cost upwards of $50,000 to reenergize the magnet and add months of downtime.
That’s why at Altima, we take even the most basic of precautions to keep your system cooling in check. For example, we’ll look at your computers and machines and make sure they are not full of lint and dust–a necessity of preventative maintenance often excluded (or forgotten) by other service providers.
Power and Connectivity
Stable power and internet connectivity are equally important to medical imaging equipment as the environment your machines are in. Keeping your MRI properly grounded and adequately powered 24/7/365 is a taxing responsibility. And it’s one that earthquakes, inclement weather (storms and lightning strikes), and other causes of unforeseen power outages or electrical surges can throw a wrench in.
That is why contracting an experienced and reputable MRI preventative maintenance provider like Altima is useful to preserving uptime and patient schedules to keep your imaging center running smoothly.
We help our customers by routinely checking that power (+ backup power) and internet connections are working reliably, so you can have peace of mind that your imaging center will continue running smoothly, no matter the weather forecast.
Remote System Monitoring
At Altima, we also offer remote monitoring of MRI and CT scanners to ensure things are running smoothly, even on holidays and weekends. Using software to monitor your equipment, our staff can be alerted the moment an issue arises.
Imbalances in cryogen levels, oxygen, RF power output/interference, temperature fluctuations with magnets, internet connection problems, or general coil issues can be tracked, so we can spot them before they become catastrophic and costly. Once alerted, our team will be at your service for immediate repair and replacement.
Other vital machine statistics that are monitored through Altima’s preventative maintenance plan through remote monitoring include:
- Compressor run time and pressure
- Gradient calibration
- Shield temperature voltage
- Trolley assembly
- Blower filter
- Chiller fluid level and valve
- Scanner’s Coldhead and Compressor
A Customized Service Plan from Altima
Altima’s MRI preventative maintenance plans help centers to maintain OEM standards for their equipment and thereby accreditation (i.e. The American College and Radiology) and eligibility for reimbursement.
We understand your imaging interests and realize machine uptime is critical – that’s why we offer 24/7 remote system monitoring to stay ahead of the game. Most importantly, we focus on maintaining optimal image quality – empowering doctors to save lives through crystal clear imagery.
Call (972) 382-5533 today to schedule your next MRI preventative maintenance visit!
