At the launch of the Somatom Force VB30 scanner on 2/7, Dr. Ho Hoang Phuong, director of the Center for Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said the scanner is a powerful tool for doctors. It will assist in diagnosing and detecting early signs of various conditions like tumors, cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. It will also help to effectively and safely evaluate and monitor treatment progress.

Mr. Christopher Scholl, Deputy Consul General, Representative of the German Consulate General in Vietnam (fourth from left), attended the launch ceremony of the 100,000-slice CT scanner at Tam Anh District 7. *Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital*

According to Dr. Phuong, the scanner's CT technology is the clearest and fastest among CT scanners with EID detector technology. A full-body scan takes only 1-2 seconds and can separate the scanned area into over 100,000 slices at different energy levels, reconstructing ultra-thin slices. This helps detect and suggest lesions, abnormalities, tumors, plaques, stones, blood clots, narrowed areas, blockages, aneurysms, and millimeter-sized injuries in the liver, lungs, heart valves, heart muscle, and joints.

The scanner's artificial intelligence (AI) automatically processes images, adjusts and selects the clearest images to assist doctors in quickly, conveniently, and accurately identifying the location of organs, soft tissues, bones, and blood vessels for faster diagnoses. The AI technology minimizes errors and reduces the need for additional clinical tests to support diagnosis.

Equipped with technology that reduces X-ray dosage by 85% compared to conventional CT scans, the scanner minimizes the body's absorption of X-rays. "It's safe for infants and children in general, as well as people with complex medical conditions," Dr. Phuong said, adding that the metal artifact reduction feature of over 80% allows people with screws and artificial hip joints to undergo CT scans.

The new Somatom Force VB30 CT scanner at Tam Anh District 7, Ho Chi Minh City. *Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital*

Currently, this advanced CT scanner is available in only a few medical centers in the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries. Vietnam now has three such machines: two at Tam Anh Hospitals and one at another hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tam Anh Hospital in Hanoi started operating its first scanner in February. It has screened and diagnosed over 4,500 complex cases, including many difficult ones.

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Quang Binh, medical director of Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said the hospital system treats approximately 10% of international patients annually. The operation of the 100,000-slice Somatom Force VB30 CT system aims to meet the need for high-quality, safe, and effective early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, contributing to the development of healthcare in Vietnam.

"The hospital will offer very reasonable pricing to support even more patients," said Associate Professor Quang Binh.

Van Ha