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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshoots exam-save and storage problems caused by available capacity, incomplete workflow, removable media, software state, or storage-system faults.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect Patient Care and Preserve Required Images
If an active examination cannot be saved, alert clinical staff immediately and use an approved alternate imaging system or workflow if losing diagnostic images could affect care.
Do not delete patient studies simply to create space without following organizational retention and data-handling requirements.
Expected outcome: Patient care continues and existing clinical data is protected.
2. Confirm the Exact Save Problem
Determine whether the system reports limited storage, refuses to save any exam, saves some images but not others, fails only on export, or appears to save but the exam cannot later be found.
Record any exact message displayed.
Expected outcome: Local storage failure is distinguished from export or PACS-transfer failure.
3. Verify the Examination Workflow
Confirm that the exam has been properly started and that required patient or exam information has been entered through the normal workflow.
Check whether the problem occurs with a controlled test exam as well as the reported clinical exam.
Expected outcome: The save issue is not caused by an incomplete workflow or missing required information.
4. Review User-Accessible Storage Status
Check any normal system indication of available storage or study capacity.
Do not access hidden directories, modify file systems, or use unauthorized service utilities.
Expected outcome: The system either shows adequate capacity or indicates that storage management is required.
5. Follow Approved Study-Management Procedures
If storage is legitimately full or near capacity, use only the organization's approved process for archiving, transferring, or deleting studies.
Confirm that required studies have reached the appropriate archive before removing them locally.
Expected outcome: Storage is freed without loss of required clinical data. If exams then save normally, troubleshooting can stop after verification.
6. Verify Network Archive or Export Status
If local storage management depends on PACS or another archive, confirm that prior studies have actually transferred successfully.
A backlog caused by network failure may appear as a local storage problem.
Expected outcome: Storage consumption is not being driven by an unrecognized transfer backlog.
7. Check Removable Media When Relevant
If the complaint involves export to approved removable media, inspect the media and accessible port for damage or contamination and test with approved known-good media.
Keep removable-media export separate from the system's internal exam-saving function.
Expected outcome: A media-specific problem is distinguished from local storage failure.
8. Restart the Application Normally
If adequate capacity exists but the save function is unresponsive, close the exam properly and perform a normal system restart.
Avoid repeated forced shutdowns, especially when unsaved clinical data may be present.
Expected outcome: The system resumes normal save operation after restart. If the problem recurs, continue to escalation.
9. Perform a Controlled Save and Retrieval Test
Create an approved test exam, acquire images using a phantom or other nonpatient target, save the exam, close it, and reopen it.
If applicable, verify transfer to the intended archive.
Expected outcome: The test exam saves, remains available, and can be retrieved normally. Troubleshooting can stop.
10. Escalate Persistent Storage Failures
If exams cannot be reliably saved despite adequate capacity and proper workflow, remove the Venue Go from clinical service.
Expected outcome: A system with unreliable clinical data storage is not returned to use until the storage subsystem is properly evaluated.
If the Problem Persists
Available capacity, workflow, transfer backlog, removable media, and normal restart have been evaluated. Remaining causes may involve internal storage, database integrity, operating software, file-system management, or other service-level components.
Remove the system from service and label it Out of Service. Send it for repair or bench evaluation using appropriate GE Healthcare documentation and approved service tools. Do not attempt unsupported file-system modification or recovery.
After correction, verify acquisition, save, closure, retrieval, and transfer of a controlled test exam before return to service.
Knowing when unreliable image storage requires escalation is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Never delete clinical studies solely to clear space until required images are confirmed in the approved archive.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Staff reported the Venue Go would acquire images but would not save new examinations because local storage was full."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering confirmed a backlog of already archived studies remained on the system and available storage had been exhausted."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering followed the approved study-management process, verified archived data before removal, and confirmed a new test exam could be saved and retrieved normally."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact save or storage message
- Local storage status
- Whether all exams or one exam is affected
- PACS transfer backlog
- Patient-data workflow
- Removable-media involvement
- Studies archived before removal
- Restart results
- Test save and retrieval results
- Final device status
Final Thought
Protect clinical data first, distinguish local saving from network transfer, verify storage and workflow before assuming hardware failure, never remove patient data without approved safeguards, escalate persistent failures, and document final save-and-retrieval testing.
That is successful troubleshooting.