More Performance from a System Built for Productivity
The Siemens Healthineers MAGNETOM Altea is a 70 cm bore 1.5T system built for high-throughput clinical work. Depending on configuration, it runs BioMatrix patient-adaptive technology, myExam Companion guided workflows, Turbo Suite, and Deep Resolve.
The platform supports a varied clinical workload, from brain and spine examinations to musculoskeletal, abdominal, and whole-body imaging. BioMatrix technologies help address patient variability, while workflow automation helps technologists manage planning, positioning, and examination consistency.
For hospitals and imaging centers, the opportunity is to build on those capabilities. Can an Altea shorten its protocols further, even on a scanner already running Deep Resolve?
Where Altea Exam Time Goes
MRI exam time is shaped by the demands of the protocol.
Technologists balance signal-to-noise ratio, spatial resolution, anatomical coverage, and acquisition time across every examination. More complex protocols — including contrast-enhanced spine, detailed shoulder, and pelvic studies — can require multiple sequences and longer acquisitions to meet clinical requirements.
Patient factors matter as well. Longer scans can be more difficult for patients in pain or those who struggle to remain still, increasing the risk of motion and repeat imaging.
For technologists, the opportunity is to reduce acquisition time without giving up the image quality, coverage, or protocol requirements the exam demands.
What Shorter Protocols Mean for Each Stakeholder
For imaging executives, shorter protocols can create more usable capacity from the MRI infrastructure already in place — potentially delaying the need for longer operating hours, additional staffing, or another scanner.
For MRI managers and operations leaders, shorter acquisition times can create more scheduling flexibility, provide additional room for complex examinations, and help recover time when the schedule falls behind.
For radiologists, the requirement does not change: accelerated images still need to support the intended diagnostic task. Image quality, anatomy, tissue contrast, lesion conspicuity, noise, texture, and artifacts must all be evaluated before an accelerated protocol enters routine clinical use.
The following Altea results show how SwiftMR® reduced acquisition time across multiple protocols, including at a site where Siemens Deep Resolve was already in use.
How SwiftMR Delivered Scan-Time Improvements on the Altea 1.5T
VivoLab Chiavari: A 31% Additional Reduction with Deep Resolve Already in Use
At VivoLab Chiavari, the Siemens Altea 1.5T was run with Deep Resolve Gain (DRG) and Deep Resolve Sharp (DRS). With SwiftMR, the site reported a 31% average scan-time reduction across eight protocols, with individual reductions ranging from 25% to 39%. The comparison used the site’s existing Deep Resolve scan times as the baseline.
| Protocol | Original scan time with Deep Resolve | Scan time with SwiftMR® | Scan time reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain | 19:29 | 13:17 | 32% |
| Lumbar | 13:04 | 9:12 | 30% |
| Cervical | 16:01 | 10:53 | 32% |
| Shoulder | 10:26 | 6:24 | 39% |
| Wrist | 11:43 | 8:44 | 25% |
| Ankle | 13:52 | 10:09 | 27% |
| Pelvis | 25:53 | 19:05 | 26% |
| Fistula | 30:19 | 18:26 | 39% |
| Average scan time reduction | 31% | ||
The reductions represent meaningful minutes within an examination. The brain protocol saved 6 minutes 12 seconds, the shoulder protocol saved 4 minutes 2 seconds, and the fistula protocol saved 11 minutes 53 seconds, calculated from the reported times.
For Altea users already investing in OEM reconstruction, this is the central finding: SwiftMR delivered additional scan-time savings without requiring the site to abandon its existing Deep Resolve workflow. The result reflects this specific configuration and protocol set, rather than a comparison with every Deep Resolve package.
University of Florida: A 32% Average Reduction Across 12 Protocols
The University of Florida reported a 32% average scan-time reduction on its Siemens Altea 1.5T across brain, spine, musculoskeletal, and body protocols. Results by protocol:
| Protocol | Original scan time | Scan time with SwiftMR® | Scan time reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain | 20:26 | 13:49 | 32% |
| Brain W/WO | 26:44 | 18:37 | 30% |
| C-Spine W/O | 17:32 | 13:18 | 24% |
| C-Spine W/WO | 25:15 | 18:47 | 26% |
| L-Spine W/O | 23:39 | 14:23 | 39% |
| L-Spine W/WO | 33:26 | 20:23 | 39% |
| Shoulder | 19:17 | 11:57 | 38% |
| Knee | 18:28 | 9:28 | 49% |
| Liver | 17:39 | 14:57 | 15% |
| MRCP | 16:15 | 11:51 | 27% |
| Prostate | 31:29 | 21:43 | 31% |
| Female Pelvis | 24:56 | 17:22 | 30% |
| Average scan time reduction | 32% | ||
The knee protocol saved exactly nine minutes, while the lumbar spine examination with and without contrast saved 13 minutes 3 seconds. The results also illustrate why acceleration should be evaluated by protocol: the same report showed a 15% reduction for liver imaging and 49% for knee imaging.
A single scanner-wide percentage cannot describe every clinical application.
Arnot Ogden Medical Center: A 29% Average Reduction Across Routine and Specialized Imaging
Arnot Ogden Medical Center reported a 29% average scan-time reduction on its Altea 1.5T. The protocol summary included specialized neuro examinations, contrast-enhanced spine imaging, pelvic studies, prostate imaging, and musculoskeletal examinations.
| Protocol | Original scan time | Scan time with SwiftMR® | Scan time reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trigeminal Brain | 46:16 | 29:44 | 36% |
| IAC Brain | 45:11 | 27:43 | 39% |
| C-Spine W/WO & C1–C3 | 35:44 | 21:37 | 40% |
| T-Spine W/WO | 30:02 | 23:23 | 22% |
| L-Spine W/WO | 27:13 | 21:59 | 19% |
| Pelvis for Anal CA | 48:33 | 35:21 | 27% |
| Female Pelvis | 35:26 | 27:39 | 22% |
| Femur W/WO | 52:47 | 41:41 | 21% |
| Breast | 30:50 | 25:14 | 18% |
| Prostate (new DWI) | 38:43 | 23:56 | 38% |
| Abdomen MRCP | 12:00 | 9:53 | 18% |
| Brain W/WO | 19:55 | 15:19 | 23% |
| Pituitary | 40:31 | 28:42 | 29% |
| Shoulder W/WO | 41:36 | 25:56 | 38% |
| Shoulder | 24:11 | 17:25 | 28% |
| Knee | 16:20 | 10:38 | 35% |
| Knee W/WO | 27:42 | 18:40 | 33% |
| Elbow | 11:41 | 8:35 | 27% |
| Elbow W/WO | 20:34 | 12:22 | 40% |
| Average scan time reduction | 29% | ||
The trigeminal brain protocol decreased from 46:16 to 29:44, a reported 36% reduction. Internal auditory canal imaging decreased from 45:11 to 27:43, a 39% reduction. Shoulder imaging with and without contrast decreased from 41:36 to 25:56, a 38% reduction.
These examples are particularly relevant to longer examinations. The trigeminal brain and internal auditory canal protocols each recovered more than 16 minutes of acquisition time — creating a substantial opportunity to reconsider how those studies fit into the daily schedule.
Montrose Regional: A 35% Average Reduction Across a Broad Protocol Mix
A Montrose Regional Altea 1.5T protocol summary reported a 35% average scan-time reduction, with applications extending beyond routine brain and spine imaging to brachial plexus, arthrograms, small-joint imaging, rectal staging, and other specialized examinations.
Examples included wrist imaging with and without contrast, reduced from 29:15 to 17:14, a reported 41% reduction, and thumb imaging, reduced from 20:29 to 11:31, a 44% reduction.
The breadth of the protocol mix matters. It shows an opportunity to evaluate acceleration across the clinical workload, rather than limiting the discussion to one favorable sequence or anatomy.
How SwiftMR Works with the Siemens Altea
SwiftMR operates downstream of image acquisition. Altea acquires the accelerated sequences, and DICOM images are transferred for SwiftMR processing. The enhanced series are returned to PACS for review within the radiologist’s existing reading environment. SwiftMR does not require software to be installed on the scanner itself.
The time savings come from shortening the acquisition itself. AIRS Medical’s clinical team works with the imaging team to adjust eligible acquisition parameters and evaluate the resulting images. SwiftMR’s deep learning processing restores the SNR and sharpness lost to the shorter acquisition.
Where Deep Resolve is already installed, SwiftMR can complement that investment. The appropriate evaluation is configuration- and protocol-specific: establish the current baseline, assess additional acceleration, and confirm that the resulting images meet the organization’s clinical requirements.
Turning Saved Scan Time into Operational Value
A shorter acquisition creates an opportunity. How the organization uses that time determines the business value.
The University of Florida’s nine-minute reduction in its knee protocol, for example, provides a concrete starting point for an operational review. Could that time support a shorter appointment slot? Would it be more valuable as a buffer for patients who require additional positioning or assistance? Could consistent reductions across several high-volume protocols support another appointment within existing hours?
Those decisions require measuring the complete workflow. Preparation, positioning, contrast administration, processing, and room turnover remain part of the appointment. A scan-time reduction is not automatically an equivalent reduction in appointment length or an increase in patient volume.
The Altea reports establish acquisition-time savings. They do not, by themselves, establish additional revenue, fewer repeat scans, or improved diagnostic performance. Those outcomes should be measured separately during implementation.
Get More from Your Siemens Altea
An Altea evaluation should start with the examinations that matter most to your practice: high-volume protocols, longer studies, or examinations that are difficult for patients to tolerate.
Compare your current acquisitions with accelerated SwiftMR images. Have your radiologists assess clinical acceptability, then measure what the approved changes mean for examination duration and scheduling.
AIRS Medical offers a 30-day trial to evaluate SwiftMR on your own scanner, protocols, and clinical workflow. Request a demo to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SwiftMR replace Deep Resolve?
No. SwiftMR can operate alongside Siemens Deep Resolve. It is an independent solution designed to complement existing OEM reconstruction capabilities rather than require their removal.
Will every Altea protocol achieve the same reduction?
No. Results depend on the starting protocol, existing acceleration, acquisition parameters, and clinical requirements. At the University of Florida, reported reductions ranged from 15% for liver imaging to 49% for knee imaging, with a 32% average across the listed protocols.
How do we confirm that accelerated images meet our radiologists’ requirements?
Evaluate representative clinical cases side by side. Radiologists should assess anatomy, tissue contrast, lesion visibility, image texture, noise, and artifacts. Acquisition and reconstruction settings can then be refined before individual sequences are approved for routine use.
Results reflect individual sites, protocols, and scanner configurations. Site averages are reported separately and are not a pooled average. The other site summaries do not identify Deep Resolve use, so only the VivoLab results are presented as additional acceleration from a Deep Resolve baseline.
MAGNETOM, Altea, BioMatrix, myExam Companion, Turbo Suite, and Deep Resolve are trademarks of Siemens Healthineers.