How Much is a CT Scanner and How to Avoid Paying Too Much
The Factors to Look for When You Ask, “How Much is a CT Scanner?”
There are few questions to ask that can produce such a wide variety of answers as, “how much is a CT scanner?” The answers to this question could result in a difference of millions of dollars. With this being the reality, knowing the factors contributing to the vast range in price is a must.
Of even greater importance is understanding what you need to be looking for as a buyer. When a single feature can create hundreds of thousands of dollars in difference, a buyer must understand that feature is worth the investment. If it is not, that money can contribute to something else.
In this article, we will be looking into some of the most significant factors that play into the price of a CT scanner and how you can evaluate these as a buyer.
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How Much is a CT Scanner: The Age of the Model
As with anything, the age of what you are purchasing is going to play a role in the price. Even though this is true, it does not mean that something older is automatically inadequate for your purposes. The latest and greatest models are going to include plenty of features and abilities that might be perfect for one clinic but may not be necessary for your needs.
Judging a model is less about what it can do and much more about if it can do what you need it to. Hopefully, you won’t be wasting your time browsing the most expensive models if you already know your budget is nowhere near that price range. But, it is worth reminding that understanding your budget should be step one, and understanding your needs is step two.
Don’t be surprised if an older model can meet your needs and don’t shy away from one that will.
How Much is a CT Scanner: The Slice Count
With everything else being equal in two machines, slice count will have one of the most significant impacts on price. Slice count impacts scan times and required turnover between scans. Larger practices that are going to be using their scanners more frequently are going to need a higher slice count.
Slice counts can reach as high as 320 slices in a machine. That will not be necessary for the majority of practices. In most cases, devices with a slice count of 128 are used in cardiac centers or research facilities. Still, for many standard uses, a 16-slice scanner will be appropriate for a facility looking for something with quality speed and function.
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How Much Is A CT Scanner: Buying New or Refurbished
Of course, new or refurbished devices are going to come with a significant price difference. As long as a clinic is purchasing from a reputable dealer, they should be confident that their refurbished device will perform up to its expectations. Having a refurbished machine is no reason to avoid a purchase. In many cases, there is a likelihood that it is the best way to go.
Overall, many practices and clinics should look into refurbished machines before looking into something new. Only once it is determined that new is a requirement, one should assume refurbished will do.
With the amount of money that can be saved by avoiding the purchase of a scanner with superfluous features, the process of the search can often take the shape of trimming away excess options until finding one that fits your needs.
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Siemens CT Scanner Models That Do and Don’t Fit Your Needs
When it comes to Siemens CT Scanner Models, no two are the same. And, when it comes to the clinics that are looking for these models, needs, desires, and preferences will come in a wide variety. With an investment as substantial as a CT Scanner can come – especially when considering the purchase of a new scanner – a clinic cannot overthink this process no matter how much time it puts into it. Of course, there is a point where a purchase needs to be made, and this article is to help you get there.
Depending on the particular clinic, there are dramatically different needs. One clinic cannot go purely off the recommendation of a clinic that has a scanner working well for them unless the two are always seeing the same patients for the same reasons. A clinic must be aware of their specific needs and workload to make an informed choice.
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Being Aware of the Specifications for Specific Needs
It is crucial to keep in mind that one scanner does not function the same for different purposes. For example, if we look at multiple Siemens CT Scanner models, we can see scan times are different for the different types of scans it might perform. The SOMATOM Drive has a scan time for cardiac imaging of 6.48 seconds, but with Thoraco-Abdominal Imaging, that time increases to 28 seconds.
These are both exceptional scan times either way, but that is expected from state of the art systems like the SOMATOM Drive. With some scanners, the differences in time can have a significant impact on scanning and patient comfort level. It is not a viable method to decide on the fastest system as that could quickly have a clinic pouring too much of its resources into the scanner.
Understanding The Price Range
For the biggest operations out there, a much larger budget will likely be at their disposal. It is also likely that larger practices will be seeing many more patients than their counterparts. For these situations, the higher-end machines with triple-digit slice counts are going to be moving patients along at a much faster rate. A 256 slice CT scanner is one of the highest available on the market, but those can cost more than $2 million.
While slice count is important, and speed can help, moving to a lower slice count can save a lot of money for distribution towards other clinical needs. A new 16 slice CT scanner isn’t cheap, usually around $300,000, but having a few hundred thousand dollars back in your budget is a valuable resource, and a lower slice count will make a dramatic difference in price. Of the Siemens CT Scanner models, the SOMATOM Emotion 16 eco is an excellent 16 slice option where a clinic could expect a price tag between $50,000 and $100,000.
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When a Clinic Asks, “How Much Does A PET CT Scanner Cost . . .”
The first thing that a clinic needs to understand is this is not the first question they should be asking. When any clinic is asking, “how much does a PET CT Scanner cost?” what they should instead be asking is, “what kind of PET CT Scanner do we need?”
Ignoring the needs of a clinic and focusing only on the available budget is a mistake that will come with a steep price tag. Looking at the complete range of scanners available on the market, a clinic could find themselves spending anywhere from tens of thousands of dollars up to multi-millions. With the amount of money available for repurposing to the many needs of a clinic, a clinic wants to avoid purchasing a scanner with extra features they don’t need.
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What A Clinic Should Be Asking First
What do we need? This is the best question for a clinic to ask before beginning to look into the marketplace for available scanners. Is purchasing a refurbished scanner a viable option for us? What are the specifications that we need on a scanner? What types of scanning are we going to be doing? Is there a scanner that fulfills our needs better than anything else?
These are the questions that will lead a clinic to find the right scanner for them. When this is not the process that a clinic goes through, they are more likely to end up finding a scanner that they try to force into their budget and justify it as a necessary purchase. Such a strategy can cause problems branching out to all ends of the clinic.
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The Sacrifice Made By Asking “How Much Does A PET CT Scanner Cost?”
It is fair to admit this is an innocent-sounding question. The reality is more brutal. If this question arises in a clinic, it is coming with a sacrifice. That sacrifice is coming from any of the places within the clinic where extra money can no longer be repurposed because of overspending. Salaries of staff members, equipment budgets, training budgets, and many other things could all suffer from a lack of attention to fulfilling the actual needs of a clinic.
The next time anybody asks a question like this, the answer should be, “why?” Why is it important to know the answer to such a vague question? The more important thing to do is to narrow the parameters of the subject and come to a place where a reasonable solution can be found. There is no malice in asking, “how much does a PET CT Scanner cost,” but there are real consequences to believing that it is the only question to ask. Beneath the surface, there is a much better question to find, and it does not take a great deal of work to get there. For the sake of any clinic, it should find its needs before it finds its scanner.
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The Utility of Mobile Leasing
An office or clinic may have a need for a PET/CT scanner, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they need to own one. Mobile leasing can be a viable option for those in need of PET/CT scanner services. A facility should not make a decision without first analyzing their needs, in order to evaluate how mobile leasing vs. purchasing will serve them.
Utilizing the technology of a PET/CT scanner provides multiple benefits. The application of positron emission tomography (PET) with computed tomography (CT) enables the identification of uncommon cell function and the ability to display abnormalities with greater accuracy. Such imaging allows doctors to better identify the precise location of abnormal growths, such as tumors. The level of information helps to better understand disease progression and the risks that a patient is facing.
What to Consider With Mobile Leasing
Have you taken your establishment’s needs into consideration? Do you require the most recent technology, or will standard operations only require a reliable system? Who is going to be operating the system? What kind of finances are available? All these questions and more must be answered in order for you to understand what the best decision is for you and your practice.
Some situations require quick solutions. Mobile leasing can be the best option to make sure a budget is not unnecessarily stretched because of an excess purchase. The first priority of any practice should be to provide a service. Mobile leasing allows that practice to provide the service as quickly as possible, regardless of other restrictions.
This means that patients can be served in a number of situations. During construction, renovations, recovery from natural disasters, or if a clinic’s primary equipment is being serviced, mobile options can prevent a build-up in patient backlog. Keeping patient flow efficient increases patient comfort and creates a better working environment for staff.
An Array of Options to Meet Your Needs
Your main needs may not be with mobile leasing at all. A clinic could be most efficiently served by purchasing a refurbished system, replacing parts on an existing system, or having service done on the scanner they have. Marquis Medical offers a variety of services to meet your particular needs.
Just as important as getting the right equipment and parts for a clinic is getting the right training for the staff. Inappropriate use of a system can cause more errors and require a greater need for outside services. Having the right team to call for your servicing and training needs can make a world of difference for your staff. Knowing that your team has been provided with the best service and training lets you know that the patients will be in good hands moving forward.
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Oxford Instruments: Long and Short Term PET/CT Mobile Solutions