Using A Medtronic O-Arm with a Broken Hand Switch
Dave Yoder: December 12, 2024
One of the topics our CT service customers seem most interested in is (no surprise) how they can maximize uptime for their scanner. There are several answers that contribute collectively to this, but we want to take the next few paragraphs to talk about one of the most important: scan room climate settings and environmental conditions.
Climate Settings for Your CT Scan Room
Temperature Requirements
Proper temperature is critical to your system’s operation and must meet certain specifications. Operating temperature in a CT exam room should be kept as close to 72° F as possible (never to exceed 75° F or fall below 64° F). CT scanners generate significant heat during use, so make sure that your HVAC system is fully operational at the beginning of each scan day. If these guidelines are not met, the risk of overheating and damaging internal components is significantly increased.
Proper HVAC site prep can prevent future service issues
Humidity Requirements
Similar to temperature, controlling and monitoring the relative humidity of your CT scan room are also very important. Relative humidity indicates how much moisture is currently in the air. This figure is expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold. Standard OEM recommendation is that the CT scanner room be kept between 30 and 70% relative humidity. If the percentage exceeds 70 you risk moisture damage to the electronic components of your CT. Boards, cables, and connectors are all important to keep free of condensation. If your HVAC system is having trouble keeping humidity levels low, you may want to consider putting a stand-alone dehumidifier in the scan room.
Cleanliness/Dust-Free Requirements
A final environmental factor to keep in mind is dust control. The scan room must be kept clean and dust-free. Dust build-up has been known to burn out boards, clog fans, and bind mechanical moving parts in the scanner. If that isn’t enough reason, consider the positive impression a clean scan environment leaves on your patients.
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A Possible Fail-Safe
There are multiple temperature/humidity monitoring alarms on the market today. These will vary in price based on features and quality. We recommend that facilities purchase an alarm with the ability to notify an off-site contact via phone call or text message. Another feature to consider when choosing an alarm is a temperature and humidity log. This will allow your field service engineer or CT technician to monitor the room over time and note any environmental trends.
If you’d like to explore more options for maximizing your CT scanner uptime, we can help you find the best CT service option for your facility. Contact us and let us know how we can help you keep your system running at peak performance.
