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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting BioMatrix sensor, respiratory curve, or patient sensing issues using safe external checks before escalation.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
If the respiratory curve, BioMatrix sensing, or patient signal is unreliable during an active MRI exam, do not continue using that signal for scan timing or patient-dependent acquisition.
Pause the exam if clinically appropriate, communicate with the MRI technologist, and ensure the patient is stable and monitored according to MRI safety policy.
Expected outcome: Patient care is not dependent on a questionable sensing signal.
If this resolves the concern by switching to a safe alternate workflow, document and stop.
Confirm the Reported Symptom
Ask the technologist what was observed:
- No respiratory curve displayed
- Flat or noisy respiratory waveform
- Intermittent respiratory triggering
- Patient sensor not detected
- BioMatrix signal appears delayed, unstable, or inaccurate
- Issue occurs only with certain patients, coils, or exam types
Expected outcome: The failure mode is clearly identified before troubleshooting.
Check That the Patient Is Properly Positioned
Verify that the patient is positioned correctly on the table and within the expected sensing area for the exam setup.
Poor patient positioning, excessive gap, unusual body habitus, or patient movement can affect sensing quality.
Expected outcome: Patient position supports reliable sensor detection and respiratory signal acquisition.
If repositioning restores a stable respiratory curve, return the system to clinical use and stop.
Inspect Table Pads, Positioning Aids, and Accessories
Check for pads, blankets, cushions, straps, or accessory items that may interfere with patient sensing or respiratory detection.
Remove unnecessary materials between the patient and sensing surface when clinically safe and MRI-compatible.
Expected outcome: The sensing path is not blocked or distorted by external accessories.
If the curve returns after removing or adjusting accessories, document the cause and stop.
Verify Coil and Table Setup
Confirm the correct coil is being used, fully seated, and properly connected.
Check that the table is docked correctly and that no coil cable, accessory cable, or patient monitoring lead is pinched, stretched, or routed across a sensing area.
Expected outcome: Coil/table setup is normal and not interfering with patient sensing.
If correcting the setup resolves the issue, stop.
Check the Respiratory Signal Display and Scan Setup
Have the technologist confirm that the intended respiratory or patient-sensing option is selected for the protocol.
Verify whether the issue occurs in one protocol only or across multiple respiratory-triggered sequences.
Expected outcome: The system is looking for the correct signal source and the issue is not protocol-specific.
If a protocol selection or setup issue is found, have MRI staff correct the exam setup and stop.
Look for External Patient Motion or Breathing Pattern Issues
Observe whether the patient is moving, talking, coughing, holding breath unintentionally, or breathing too shallowly for a usable curve.
Patient-related variation can appear as an equipment fault when the signal is actually too weak or inconsistent.
Expected outcome: The signal behavior matches patient motion and breathing pattern.
If the issue is patient-related, document the finding and stop.
Inspect Accessible Sensor Areas and Table Surface
With the patient removed and the table available, visually inspect the table surface, pad condition, and accessible sensor-related areas for:
- Damaged table pads
- Fluid contamination
- Cracked covers
- Loose trim
- Objects trapped under pads
- Signs of impact or misuse
Expected outcome: No obvious external condition is preventing proper sensing.
If contamination or obstruction is found, remove the device from use until cleaned, dried, and evaluated according to facility policy.
Power Cycle Only When Safe and Approved
If the scanner is not supporting an active patient exam, coordinate with MRI staff and follow site-approved restart procedures for the host or affected workflow.
Do not interrupt active scanning, patient care, or system cooling/support functions without proper coordination.
Expected outcome: Temporary software or workflow communication issues clear after a controlled restart.
If normal respiratory curve and sensing function return, document and stop.
Test With a Known-Good Setup
When clinically appropriate, compare performance using a known-good protocol setup, standard positioning, and a cooperative test subject or approved test workflow.
Do not create unsafe scanning conditions or bypass MRI safety procedures.
Expected outcome: The issue is confirmed as either setup-specific or repeatable across normal configurations.
Check for Pattern Across Rooms, Coils, or Tables if Applicable
If the site has similar Siemens MRI systems or multiple coils/table accessories, compare whether the issue follows:
- A specific coil
- A specific table
- A specific protocol
- A specific patient setup
- The MAGNETOM Sola system itself
Expected outcome: The fault is narrowed without internal disassembly.
Review System Messages and Error Logs Available to Clinical Engineering
Record any displayed Siemens system messages, warnings, or fault codes related to BioMatrix, patient sensing, respiratory triggering, table communication, or coil/sensor communication.
Expected outcome: Escalation includes useful evidence for Siemens service or advanced bench/system evaluation.
If the Problem Persists
If patient position, accessories, coil setup, protocol selection, table condition, and controlled restart have been checked and the BioMatrix or respiratory sensing fault remains, common external causes have been ruled out.
The issue may involve internal sensor hardware, table communication, system software, or Siemens-specific sensing electronics.
The device should be:
- Removed from clinical use for affected respiratory-triggered or sensing-dependent exams
- Labeled Out of Service if the fault affects safe or reliable operation
- Sent for Siemens service evaluation or qualified MRI system repair support
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. Do not attempt internal MRI table, sensor, or system electronics repair without proper training, MRI safety controls, and manufacturer support.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot BioMatrix or respiratory sensing problems on an active patient unless the exam has been safely paused and MRI staff confirm it is appropriate. If the sensing signal is unreliable, move to an alternate safe workflow or reschedule/use another system as directed by clinical leadership.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"MRI technologist reported no usable respiratory curve on the Siemens MAGNETOM Sola during respiratory-triggered imaging."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the patient positioning pad was folded under the torso and interfering with patient sensing."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Repositioned the pad, verified stable respiratory curve with MRI staff, and returned the system to service."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Patient removed from scanner before troubleshooting
- Exact BioMatrix or respiratory signal symptom
- Whether issue was flat, noisy, intermittent, or absent
- Protocol or sequence where the issue occurred
- Coil used during the failure
- Table docked status
- Patient position checked
- Pads, blankets, and accessories inspected
- Any visible table pad damage or contamination
- Whether restart was performed
- Whether fault followed a coil, table, protocol, or patient setup
- Siemens fault messages or screenshots
- Final device status
Final Thought
BioMatrix and respiratory sensing faults should be approached carefully because they can affect scan timing, image quality, and workflow reliability. Start with patient safety, positioning, accessories, coils, table setup, and protocol selection before suspecting internal system failure. Clear documentation helps Siemens service or MRI support resolve repeat issues faster.
That is successful troubleshooting.