Siemens Healthineers ACUSON Juniper

Asset Type

Ultrasound System

Manufacturer

Siemens Healthineers

Model

ACUSON Juniper

What This Guide Helps With

Troubleshooting ultrasound DICOM send, modality worklist, network connection, archive, USB, or image export failures before repair escalation.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Ensure Patient Safety First

• Confirm the ACUSON Juniper is not being used for an active patient exam before changing network settings, restarting the system, or testing exports.
• If images from an active exam have not transferred, verify with clinical staff that the study is preserved locally before powering down or attempting corrective action.

Expected outcome: Patient images and exam data are protected before troubleshooting begins.

Confirm the Exact Communication or Export Failure

• Ask the sonographer or department staff what failed and when it occurred.
• Determine whether the issue involves:
• DICOM send failure
• Study not reaching PACS
• Modality worklist not loading
• Patient demographics not importing
• Network disconnected message
• Wireless or wired network issue
• USB export failure
• CD/DVD or external media export issue, if equipped
• One study failing or all studies failing

Expected outcome: The issue is separated into DICOM, worklist, general network, or removable media export failure.

Check Whether the Exam Is Still Stored Locally

• Confirm the study, images, clips, or report data are still available on the ultrasound system.
• Do not delete or clear local studies until transfer status is confirmed by the department or PACS team.

Expected outcome: Clinical data is preserved while the transfer problem is investigated.

Check Physical Network Connection

• If the system uses wired Ethernet, inspect the network cable at the ultrasound system and wall jack.
• Confirm the cable is fully seated, undamaged, and connected to the correct network port.
• If available, try a known-good network cable and a known-working wall jack assigned for medical device network use.

Expected outcome: Loose cable, damaged cable, or inactive wall port is ruled out.

Check Network Link Indicators

• Look for link/activity lights at the Ethernet port, docking connection, or network adapter area if visible.
• No link light may indicate a disconnected cable, inactive wall port, disabled network drop, docking issue, or network adapter problem.

Expected outcome: Basic network link status is confirmed before changing system configuration.

Confirm the System Is on the Correct Network

• Verify whether the ACUSON Juniper is connected to the intended hospital network, VLAN, or wireless profile used for imaging systems.
• If the device was recently moved, confirm the new room’s network jack supports ultrasound DICOM and worklist traffic.

Expected outcome: The failure is not caused by using a non-imaging network port or unauthorized network connection.

Check IP Address and Network Configuration

• Review the system network configuration with site-approved settings.
• Confirm:
• IP address
• Subnet mask
• Gateway
• DNS, if used
• DHCP/static assignment
• Hostname, if required
• Wireless SSID and credentials, if used
• If DHCP is used and the system was moved between locations, confirm it received a valid address for the current site.

Expected outcome: Incorrect IP configuration or failed address assignment is identified.

Check for Duplicate or Held IP Address Concerns

• If the ultrasound was moved from another location and the same settings are expected to work, consider whether the previous network lease, port security, or IP reservation may still be affecting connectivity.
• Coordinate with IT to confirm the device MAC address, IP assignment, switch port status, DHCP reservation, and whether the address is blocked, duplicated, or assigned to another device.

Expected outcome: Network-side assignment issues are ruled out before suspecting the ultrasound system.

Test Basic Network Connectivity

• Use available system network tools, if accessible, or coordinate with IT to confirm whether the system can communicate on the network.
• Check whether the device can reach the gateway, PACS destination, worklist server, or DICOM node according to site workflow.

Expected outcome: The issue is narrowed to local network access, DICOM destination communication, or server-side availability.

Verify DICOM Destination Settings

• Review the configured PACS or archive destination.
• Confirm:
• AE Title
• IP address or hostname
• Port number
• Destination enabled status
• Correct archive selected
• Compression or transfer settings, if site-specific
• Compare settings to a known-working ultrasound system of the same department if available.

Expected outcome: Incorrect DICOM destination settings are corrected or ruled out.

Confirm PACS or Archive Availability

• Contact PACS or imaging informatics to verify the archive is online and accepting studies from the ACUSON Juniper.
• Ask whether other ultrasound systems are sending successfully.
• If multiple devices are affected, the issue is more likely PACS, network, or interface-related rather than a single ultrasound failure.

Expected outcome: System-specific failure is separated from wider PACS/network downtime.

Verify Modality Worklist Settings

• If worklist is not loading, check the configured worklist server information.
• Confirm:
• Worklist AE Title
• Server IP address or hostname
• Port number
• Scheduled station name, if used
• Department or modality filters
• Date range or query filters
• Correct modality selection

Expected outcome: Worklist failure caused by incorrect query or server configuration is identified.

Check Patient Query Workflow

• Ask the operator how they are searching the worklist.
• Confirm they are using the correct date, modality, location, and patient search criteria.
• A worklist may appear failed if the query filters are too narrow or if the exam was not scheduled correctly upstream.

Expected outcome: User workflow or scheduling mismatch is ruled out before hardware escalation.

Try a Test Send or Known Good Study

• With department approval, attempt to send a non-critical test study or previously confirmed study to the configured archive.
• Check whether the send fails immediately, remains queued, or appears complete but does not reach PACS.

Expected outcome: Transfer behavior helps identify whether the failure is local, network-related, or PACS-side.

Check the DICOM Queue or Transfer Status

• Review the system’s export, storage, or DICOM send queue if available.
• Look for failed, pending, retrying, or completed statuses.
• Note any displayed error message exactly as shown.

Expected outcome: The failure is documented with enough detail for IT, PACS, or vendor escalation.

Check System Date and Time

• Verify the ultrasound system date, time, and time zone are correct.
• Incorrect time settings can affect worklist queries, study matching, certificate-based communication, audit logs, or patient record association.

Expected outcome: Date and time mismatch is ruled out.

Restart Network-Related Workflow Safely

• If no patient exam is active and local studies are protected, restart the DICOM send process, worklist query, or export function.
• If the system appears locked or communication services do not recover, perform a controlled system restart according to facility policy.

Expected outcome: Temporary software or communication lockup is cleared.

Check USB Export Media

• If the issue is USB export failure, inspect the USB flash drive.
• Confirm the drive is:
• Fully inserted
• Not physically damaged
• Not write-protected
• Compatible with site policy
• Properly formatted according to department requirements
• Approved for patient data handling
• Try a known-good hospital-approved USB device if permitted.

Expected outcome: Failed removable media is ruled out.

Check USB Port Condition

• Inspect the USB port externally for bent contacts, looseness, debris, or signs of damage.
• Do not force a USB device into a damaged port.
• If one port fails, try another approved port if available and permitted by policy.

Expected outcome: A port-specific issue is identified without internal disassembly.

Confirm Export Format and Destination

• Verify the operator selected the correct export type, such as DICOM, JPEG, AVI, still image, clip, report, or study package depending on site workflow.
• Confirm the selected destination is correct and that the media has enough available space.

Expected outcome: Export failure due to format, destination, or storage space is ruled out.

Check Local Storage Status

• Confirm the ultrasound system is not low on local storage.
• A full or nearly full local database may interfere with study saving, export, or transfer workflow.
• If storage cleanup is needed, coordinate with department leadership and confirm studies are archived before deletion.

Expected outcome: Storage-related communication or export problems are identified safely.

Review Recent Changes

• Ask whether there were recent changes to:
• Network ports
• PACS servers
• Worklist server
• IP addresses
• Firewall rules
• Wireless credentials
• System software
• Department location
• Ultrasound configuration

Expected outcome: The issue is linked to a recent change when applicable.

Coordinate With IT or PACS Support

• Provide IT or PACS support with the device hostname, IP address, MAC address if available, AE Title, destination AE Title, destination IP/port, room location, and exact error message.
• Ask them to confirm network reachability, firewall rules, DICOM association attempts, and whether studies are arriving but failing reconciliation.

Expected outcome: External network and server-side causes are properly investigated.

Escalate If Communication Hardware or Software Fault Is Suspected

• If correct settings, network path, PACS availability, and media are verified but the ACUSON Juniper still cannot communicate or export, remove the unit from clinical use if patient care workflow is affected.

Expected outcome: The device is escalated for bench evaluation or vendor service rather than repeated ineffective troubleshooting.

If the Problem Persists

If the problem continues after checking cabling, network configuration, DICOM settings, worklist settings, PACS availability, export media, USB port condition, and local storage, common external causes have been ruled out.

The issue may involve the ultrasound system network adapter, software services, internal storage, DICOM application configuration, USB hardware path, or deeper system fault.

The device should be:

• Removed from service if patient exams cannot be safely stored, transferred, or exported
• Labeled Out of Service
• Sent for repair, imaging informatics review, IT escalation, or vendor evaluation as appropriate

Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Repeated configuration changes without confirming the network and PACS side can create additional problems.

Clinical Use Tip

Do not troubleshoot DICOM, worklist, network, or export failures during an active patient exam unless the device is safe, the patient is not at risk, and the exam data is protected. If image transfer is unreliable, make sure the department has a safe process to preserve studies locally or move the patient to another ultrasound system.

Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)

CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution

Complaint

What was reported by the clinical staff.

Example:
"Sonography reported the Siemens ACUSON Juniper could not send completed studies to PACS and the DICOM queue showed repeated failed transfers."

Cause

What was observed during troubleshooting.

Example:
"Verified local studies were saved, Ethernet cable was connected, but the ultrasound was connected to a network jack not configured for imaging DICOM traffic."

Resolution

What action was taken.

Example:
"Moved the system to an approved imaging network port, confirmed worklist query loaded, test study sent successfully to PACS, and returned the unit to service."

Helpful Details to Include (If Known)

• Alarm behavior
• Accessories swapped
• Power behavior
• Environmental factors
• Indicator lights
• Patient exam data preserved locally
• Wired or wireless connection used
• Network cable checked or swapped
• Wall jack tested
• IP address verified
• DHCP or static setting confirmed
• AE Title checked
• PACS destination IP and port verified
• Worklist query behavior
• DICOM queue status
• Exact error message
• Whether other systems were affected
• USB drive tested
• USB port condition
• Local storage status
• IT or PACS ticket number
• Final device status

Final Thought

DICOM, worklist, network, and export failures should be approached logically from the outside in. Protect patient data first, confirm basic network and media conditions, verify configuration with IT or PACS, and escalate when the issue points beyond safe Clinical Engineering checks. Clear CCR documentation helps prevent repeated troubleshooting and supports faster resolution.

That is successful troubleshooting.