Siemens Healthineers MAGNETOM Aera

Host, syngo, reconstruction, or system boot fault

On this page

Asset Type

MRI System

Manufacturer

Siemens Healthineers

Model

MAGNETOM Aera

What This Guide Helps With

Troubleshooting Aera host startup, syngo software, reconstruction, or boot-related faults before escalation.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Ensure Patient Safety First

Confirm no patient is inside the bore and no exam is actively in progress before troubleshooting host, console, or reconstruction issues.

Expected outcome: The MRI system is safe to evaluate without interrupting an active scan or delaying patient removal.

If a patient is involved, stop troubleshooting and coordinate safe patient removal through MRI staff.

Confirm the Exact Reported Problem

Ask MRI staff what failed and when it happened:

Expected outcome: The fault is narrowed to host startup, application behavior, reconstruction, image transfer, or full system availability.

Check Console Power and External Power Conditions

Verify the host computer, monitors, keyboard, mouse, and console peripherals have power.

Check for:

Expected outcome: Console hardware is powered normally.

If the issue is resolved by restoring external power or reconnecting a loose cable, verify normal startup and stop.

Check for Monitor or Display-Only Issues

If the system appears down, confirm whether the host is actually running but the display is blank.

Check:

Expected outcome: A blank screen is not mistaken for a failed host.

If the host is running and only the display connection was loose or misconfigured, correct it, verify syngo display, and stop.

Check Keyboard, Mouse, and Console Input Devices

Confirm the keyboard and mouse are connected and responsive.

Look for:

Expected outcome: The operator can interact with the host and syngo environment.

If input devices were disconnected or faulty, reconnect or replace externally, verify normal operation, and stop.

Verify Whether the Issue Is a Frozen Application or Full Host Lockup

Determine whether only syngo is frozen or the entire computer is nonresponsive.

Check whether:

Expected outcome: Clinical Engineering can distinguish software freeze from full host failure.

If the host is partially responsive, coordinate with MRI staff and follow site-approved restart procedures. Do not force repeated restarts without documenting the behavior.

Confirm Reconstruction Queue or Image Availability

If scans completed but images are delayed or missing, ask staff whether the issue affects:

Expected outcome: The issue is separated into reconstruction delay, local image issue, or network/PACS transfer issue.

If images are present locally but not in PACS, troubleshoot network/export workflow separately rather than assuming reconstruction failure.

Check Network and External Communication Indicators

For host or image transfer complaints, verify external network conditions before escalating.

Check:

Expected outcome: A network interruption is ruled in or ruled out as the cause of missing worklist, PACS transfer, or archive behavior.

If a loose network cable or known network outage is found, document and route appropriately.

Ask About Recent Changes

Determine whether the fault started after:

Expected outcome: The fault is tied to a possible external event or recent service condition.

This helps avoid treating a site power or network event as a random host failure.

Check Room and Equipment Environmental Conditions

Verify the scanner equipment area is not showing obvious environmental problems.

Check for:

Expected outcome: Obvious environmental or safety concerns are identified before further restart attempts.

If heat, smoke smell, water, or abnormal equipment behavior is present, stop and escalate immediately.

Perform One Controlled Restart Only If Appropriate

If the system is not actively scanning, no patient is involved, and site procedure allows it, coordinate with MRI staff before performing a controlled restart.

Expected outcome: The host, syngo environment, and reconstruction function return normally after a proper restart.

If the system boots normally and MRI staff confirm scan/recon operation, document the restart and final status.

Do not perform repeated power cycles if the same fault returns.

Verify System Readiness After Recovery

After any successful restart or correction, have MRI staff confirm:

Expected outcome: The device is returned to service only after functional readiness is confirmed.

If the issue returns during verification, remove the system from service and escalate.

If the Problem Persists

If power, display, peripherals, network connections, environmental conditions, and a controlled restart have been checked, the remaining cause is likely internal host hardware, syngo software, reconstruction subsystem, storage, database, or system communication related.

The MRI system should be:

Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Repeated restarts or unsupported software repair attempts can increase downtime, risk data loss, or mask a larger system issue.

Clinical Use Tip

Do not troubleshoot host, reconstruction, or boot faults during an active patient exam unless the immediate goal is safe patient removal. If scanning capability or image reconstruction is uncertain, move the patient schedule to another available MRI system or delay scanning until the Aera is verified safe and functional.

Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)

CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution

Complaint

What was reported by the clinical staff.

Example:
"MRI staff reported the Siemens MAGNETOM Aera syngo host would not complete startup and reconstruction was unavailable for scheduled exams."

Cause

What was observed during troubleshooting.

Example:
"Verified console power, monitor connections, keyboard/mouse, network connection, and environmental conditions; fault persisted after one controlled restart."

Resolution

What action was taken.

Example:
"Removed MRI system from service, labeled Out of Service, documented startup behavior, and escalated to Siemens service for host/reconstruction system evaluation."

Helpful Details to Include (If Known)

Final Thought

Host, syngo, reconstruction, and boot faults can quickly affect scanner availability and patient throughput. Clinical Engineering should verify the simple external causes first, protect patient safety, avoid repeated unsupported resets, and escalate when the issue points to internal system or software failure. Clear CCR documentation helps service teams understand exactly what was checked before handoff.

That is successful troubleshooting.

Related Guides

Was this guide helpful?

Don't see a guide you need?

Suggest a Guide