Siemens SOMATOM Force
Family: SOMATOM Definition · Modality: CT
3rd-generation dual-source CT. 2 × 192 simultaneous slices (vs 2 × 128 on Definition Flash), 70 ms effective temporal resolution, 80 mm Z-axis coverage per rotation. Flagship Siemens CT.
What's new vs Definition Flash
- Wider detectors — 2 × 192 × 0.6 mm = 2 × 57.6 mm Z-axis, 80 mm with Z-axis reconstruction expansion. Versus Flash's 2 × 38.4 mm.
- 3rd-generation Straton MX P tubes — higher power + heat capacity, vectored electron beam for improved spatial resolution
- ADMIRE iterative reconstruction (Advanced Modeled Iterative Reconstruction)
- TwinBeam dual-energy + Tin-filter spectral options
- Flash Mode up to pitch 3.2 — whole-thorax scan in ~0.6 sec
Clinical positioning
Top-end cardiac (beta-blocker-free coronary CTA at any heart rate), pediatric (fast enough that toddlers don't have time to move), bariatric (high tube power for dense patients), dual-energy applications (kidney stones, gout, iodine mapping, material decomposition).
Specs
- Dual source: 2 × 192 × 0.6 mm slices
- 0.25 sec gantry rotation (66 ms effective dual-source temporal)
- Flash pitch up to 3.2
- Straton MX P tubes (highest heat capacity in the CT category)
- ADMIRE iterative reconstruction
- Spectral dual-energy via tube kVp variation
Competitive landscape
- Canon Aquilion ONE — 320-slice, wider Z-axis but slower rotation; different architectural trade-off
- GE Revolution Apex — 256-slice, also 160 mm Z-axis, newer platform
- Philips iCT / Spectral — 256-slice, spectral-dedicated variants
Force's distinctive niches: beta-blocker-free cardiac, pediatric speed, bariatric capability.
Service reality
Dual-source architecture = two tubes + two detectors + two generators. Every wear item duplicated. Service contracts are premium; aftermarket parts market is smaller than single-source systems simply because fewer Forces exist.