Siemens Sensation CT vs. Siemens Emotion CT

Those in the market for a refurbished Siemens CT scanner know there are multiple systems and to choose from. Between slice counts, cooling systems, and X-ray tube types, making a decision can seem daunting.

Below we'll give a side-by-side comparison of the Siemens Sensation CT and Siemens Emotion CT from slice count to patient volume needs.

Siemens Sensation

& Siemens Emotion CT Compared

Slice Counts

The Siemens Sensation series offers more slice count options. Systems are available in 4, 10, 16, 40, and 64-slice versions. The Siemens Emotion series comes in 1, 2, 6, and 16-slice versions.

Water vs. Air Cooling

All Siemens Sensation CTs are water-cooled and generally require an outdoor chiller. All Siemens Emotion CTs are air-cooled.

This difference gives the Sensation advantages in terms of system cleanliness and overall room noise. The Emotion has an advantage in terms of maintenance costs, as there are no chiller-related services needed.

Learn the pros and cons of air-cooled vs. water-cooled CT scanners

System Footprint

Siemen Sensation scanners have a larger overall footprint than Siemen Emotion scanners. They also require some outside space for the placement of the chiller unit. Being smaller, the Emotion series is often a better pick for facilities with space constraints.

X-ray Tubes

The Sensation series comes with either a Straton tube (8.0 MHU) or an Akron Q (5.3 MHU). The Straton (on some 16s, and all 40s and 64s) is very expensive to replace.

In comparison, the Akron Q (on 4s, 10s, and some 16s) costs much less.

The Emotion series uses Dura X-ray tubes.

The Dura 202 or 302 for single-slice units. The Dura 352 is for dual-slice, and the Dura 422 is for 6 and 16-slice scanners. The Dura 422 costs more to replace than an Akron Q, but still considerably less than a Straton.

Patient Volume

Sensation series scanners have an advantage in working in high-volume facilities. This is because their X-ray tubes have a higher heat capacity.

If your facility has a more moderate patient volume level, an Emotion scanner can save you both money and space.

Both of these series began manufacture in 2000; the Sensation at the 4-slice level and the Emotion at the single-slice. The Emotion 16-slice version arrived a couple of years after the Sensation 16.

The Takeaway

If you polled 100 Siemens CT users on which of these scanners is better, I suspect the results would be 50/50. Which CT you choose will depend on your site’s specialties, available space, and patient volume.

If you still have questions about the best CT scanner for you, our team is ready to help you decide. Contact our CT experts today, and subscribe to more helpful blogs like this one in the Block Imaging learning center.