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The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust is transforming access to cardiac care across the region with the introduction of the first SOMATOM Pro.Pulse CT scanner from Siemens Healthineers in the UK. The strategic move brings specialist cardiac diagnostics closer to patients, reducing waiting times, easing pressure on hospital services, and enabling earlier detection and treatment of heart conditions within local settings. 

The decision to install the SOMATOM Pro.Pulse was driven by the need to improve cardiac services within the community. Previously, patients requiring cardiac imaging faced limited local options with increasing pressure on hospital-based diagnostics. The new dual-source CT system enables advanced cardiac imaging within the CDC, capturing data twice as fast as a standard single-source CT scanner, making it ideal for imaging moving organs like the heart.¹ The scanner facilitates the timely diagnosis and management of cardiac conditions while supporting NHS commitments to expanding diagnostic services closer to patients’ homes. 

This configuration is particularly beneficial for cardiac imaging, where motion can compromise image quality. Using an advanced image reconstruction algorithm, ZeeFree, motion-related misalignment is automatically corrected and image stacks are automatically aligned, producing optimal cardiac images and allowing patients to breathe freely during scans. The system also features myExam Companion, an AI-guided assist in optimising scan parameters, enhancing diagnostic accuracy while reducing the need for repeat scans. This supports the department's patient workflow efficiency and, with the use of decision trees, can offer predetermined imaging archiving, reducing any unnecessary lag for reporting. 

Since its implementation, the SOMATOM Pro.Pulse has contributed to improved workflow efficiency and patient experience. By providing advanced imaging services within the CDC, the trust has been able to streamline patient pathways, reducing wait times and alleviating pressure on the Russells Hall Hospital Radiology Department. 

Sarah Brown, deputy radiology manager at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust states: “Implementing this system in our Community Diagnostic Centre has transformed access to cardiac imaging for our local population – our primary goal for this project. It’s had a profound impact on the patient experience: the scanner is purpose-built and modern, set in a calm, welcoming environment enhanced by thoughtful features like ambient lighting and wall murals. It represents a major step forward in how we deliver diagnostics, both in terms of access and overall patient care.”

Carl Smith, business head of CT at Siemens Healthineers Great Britain and Ireland, states: “We are proud to support The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust in pioneering the use of the SOMATOM Pro.Pulse CT scanner within a Community Diagnostic Centre. This installation reflects exactly what we aim to achieve when we work with NHS partners – delivering technology that meets a genuine clinical need and fits seamlessly into the care pathway. It’s rewarding to see its impact on diagnostic capability and patient experience in a thoughtfully designed community setting.”