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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting Aera gradient cooling, water cooling, chiller temperature, flow, or heat-related scan interruption issues.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
If the cooling fault occurs during patient scanning, stop the exam if prompted by the system or if image acquisition cannot safely continue.
Remove the patient from the scanner if the fault is persistent, escalating, associated with system shutdown, or affecting table/scanner operation.
Expected outcome: Patient safety is maintained before technical troubleshooting begins.
Confirm the Exact Fault Message
Review the operator console, host messages, alarm history, or system event display for the exact wording of the fault.
Look for references to gradient cooling, water cooling, chiller temperature, water flow, supply temperature, return temperature, or cabinet cooling.
Expected outcome: The issue is confirmed as a cooling-related fault rather than a general host, gradient amplifier, or environmental warning.
Check Room Temperature and Airflow
Verify the MRI equipment room and technical room temperatures are within the site’s normal operating range.
Check for blocked air vents, failed room HVAC, doors propped open, warm air recirculation, or recent facilities work.
Expected outcome: The room environment is stable and not causing the cooling system to operate outside normal limits.
If room HVAC is failed or the technical room is overheated, notify Facilities and stop scanning until temperature conditions are corrected.
Inspect the Chiller for Active Alarms
Check the external chiller display, if accessible and allowed by site policy.
Look for high temperature, low flow, low water level, pump fault, compressor fault, phase/power fault, or filter restriction alarms.
Expected outcome: The chiller either shows normal operation or provides a visible fault that helps direct escalation.
If the chiller has an active alarm that cannot be cleared by normal site procedure, escalate to Facilities, Siemens service, or the chiller service vendor.
Verify Chiller Power and Disconnect Status
Confirm the chiller is powered, running, and not disabled by an emergency stop, disconnect switch, breaker, or service lockout.
Do not reset breakers repeatedly. If a breaker trips again, stop and escalate.
Expected outcome: The chiller has stable power and is actively running.
Check for Water Leaks or Visible Moisture
Inspect around the chiller, water lines, floor area, wall penetrations, and equipment room connections for leaks, pooling, condensation, or wet insulation.
Expected outcome: No visible leak or water damage is present.
If water is found, stop troubleshooting, protect the area, notify Facilities, and remove the MRI from service until evaluated.
Check Water Level or Pressure Indicators
If the chiller has an external sight glass, level indicator, pressure gauge, or display reading, verify whether it appears normal for the site.
Do not add fluid unless this is part of your approved site procedure and the correct coolant mixture is known.
Expected outcome: Water level and pressure appear normal, or a low-level/pressure condition is identified for escalation.
Inspect Accessible Cooling Hoses and Connections
Visually inspect external hoses and quick connections for kinks, collapsed sections, disconnected fittings, strain, or signs of blockage.
Expected outcome: Cooling lines are connected, unrestricted, and not visibly damaged.
If a hose is kinked or restricted externally and can be safely corrected without disassembly, correct it and monitor the system.
Check Chiller Filter or Strainer Status Externally
If the chiller has an accessible filter status indicator, service light, or differential pressure gauge, check for evidence of restriction.
Do not open sealed strainers or coolant circuits unless trained and authorized.
Expected outcome: No obvious restriction is indicated, or the chiller requires service.
Allow the System to Stabilize After Heat Load
Determine whether the fault occurred after heavy scanning, long gradient-intensive sequences, high patient volume, or recent restart.
Allow the cooling system to recover if permitted by site policy and if no active leak, alarm, or safety condition exists.
Expected outcome: Temperature returns toward normal and the fault clears without repeated recurrence.
If the fault clears and does not return during controlled operation, document the event and monitor.
Restart Only If Appropriate
If Siemens guidance, site procedure, or the system prompt allows it, perform a controlled system restart after confirming the chiller is running and no unsafe condition exists.
Avoid repeated restart attempts if the same temperature or flow fault returns.
Expected outcome: A temporary communication or monitoring fault clears, or the underlying cooling issue returns and requires escalation.
Run a Limited Operational Check
After the fault clears, verify the scanner returns to ready status.
Confirm there are no active cooling alarms, no abnormal chiller sounds, no visible leaks, and no recurring temperature warnings.
Expected outcome: The MAGNETOM Aera remains stable before being released for clinical use.
Do Not Continue Scanning With Repeated Cooling Faults
If the fault returns during scanning, QA, or standby operation, remove the MRI from clinical use.
Repeated cooling faults may indicate chiller failure, restricted flow, pump problems, sensor faults, coolant issues, or gradient cooling circuit problems.
Expected outcome: The scanner is not used in a condition that may risk scan interruption, equipment damage, or patient safety.
If the Problem Persists
If room conditions, chiller power, visible leaks, hose routing, external alarms, and basic restart checks do not resolve the issue, common external causes have been ruled out.
The problem is likely internal to the cooling system, chiller, gradient cooling loop, pump, flow sensor, temperature sensor, or scanner cooling interface.
The device should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Sent for Siemens service, chiller vendor support, Facilities evaluation, or bench/system-level repair assessment
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Do not bypass cooling faults or continue scanning with recurring temperature or flow warnings.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot a cooling or chiller fault while a patient remains in the bore unless immediate patient removal is unsafe. Move the patient to a safe location first, then begin Clinical Engineering and Facilities checks.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"MRI staff reported a MAGNETOM Aera gradient cooling fault during scanning, with the system warning of elevated cooling temperature."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Chiller was running but displayed a high-temperature alarm, and the MRI technical room temperature was above normal due to HVAC failure."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Removed scanner from service, notified Facilities for room HVAC correction, contacted Siemens/chiller service for evaluation, and labeled the MRI Out of Service pending verification."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact cooling or temperature fault message
- Time fault occurred and whether patient was scanning
- Sequence or scan type in progress
- Room temperature and technical room conditions
- Chiller display status or alarm shown
- Chiller power status
- Water level or pressure indication, if visible
- Any visible leaks, condensation, or wet flooring
- Hose condition and visible restrictions
- Unusual chiller noise, pump noise, heat, or smell
- Whether the fault cleared after cooldown or restart
- Whether the issue returned during QA or clinical scanning
- Final scanner status
Final Thought
Cooling faults on a MAGNETOM Aera should be handled carefully because they can affect scan reliability, gradient operation, and patient safety. Start with environmental conditions, chiller power, visible leaks, and external restrictions before assuming an internal scanner problem. If the fault repeats or cannot be clearly resolved, remove the system from service and escalate with strong CCR documentation.
That is successful troubleshooting.