Second Tier CT Scanner Options Exceed Expectations

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article omitted the fact that Siemens and Toshiba were considered in the largest precentage of deals (61 percent).

“You get what you pay for” isn’t so bad when it comes to second-tier CT solutions, according to a recent KLAS report.

The CT 2014: What Can You Do with Less? report showed that three out of the four second-tier vendors in the study are primarily meeting providers’ expectations, if not exceeding. Second tier scanners are just under the vendor's highest end scanners in terms of features. KLAS surveyed more than 100 providers from 87 organizations to discover who providers are choosing for new systems. In regard to purchasing, many providers did not go with their first choice and instead opted for a lower-priced solution instead.

Toshiba’s Aquilion PRIME leads the vendor group with an overall performance score of 93 (out of 100). Philips’ Ingenuity comes in a close second with a performance score of 92.5; Siemens’ SOMATOM Definition AS+ and GE Healthcare’s Optima CT660 round out the group in 3^rd and 4^th places, respectively.

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All of the scanners are primarily being used for different purposes. One-third of GE users indicated they are predominantly doing cardiac scanning, although a low volume. GE customers take advantage of package deals with competitive pricing.

Philips users focus more on stroke and pediatric scanning on the Ingenuity platform. The Ingenuity platform is a good option for providers for whom it doesn’t make sense to buy a high-end scanner, the report states.

Siemens users conduct a higher volume of cardiac scanning, and claim that scanner speed is the standout feature. Toshiba customers had a smaller percentage of scan volumes dedicated to advanced procedures compared to other vendors. Toshiba users reported no limitations with their second-tier system.

KLAS tracked 23 new CT deals over the past 12 months and found that Siemens and Toshiba were considered in the largest percentage of deals (61 percent). GE deals came in at 52 percent, and Philips at 35 percent.

"We are hearing from providers that when it comes to CT, they don't always need the high-end scanners with all the bells and whistles," Brady Heiner, the report author, said in a release. "Providers looking to save money but not sacrifice performance are turning to these second-tier CTs and have been overwhelmingly satisfied with their decision."