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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting Numaris X startup, host, reconstruction, or workstation faults before escalating MRI system service.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
Ensure Patient Safety First
Confirm no patient is inside the bore and no exam is actively running before troubleshooting the MAGNETOM Sola.
If the system fault occurs during patient care, stop the exam only when clinically safe, remove the patient from the scanner room, and have staff use another available MRI system or approved downtime process.
Expected outcome: The patient is safe, the scan room is controlled, and troubleshooting is not performed during active scanning.
Confirm the Exact Fault and System State
At the Numaris X console, document the exact message, error code, screen behavior, and when the fault occurs.
Check whether the issue appears during:
- System startup
- User login
- Patient registration
- Sequence loading
- Image reconstruction
- Transfer to PACS or post-processing
- Full system shutdown or restart
Expected outcome: The issue is clearly identified as a startup, host, reconstruction, or workflow fault.
Why it matters: Siemens Numaris X systems use system messages and message history to summarize software, scanner, and MR View&GO-related issues, so exact message capture is important before escalation.
Check the Console and Workstation Power Condition
Verify the operator console, monitors, keyboard, mouse, and any connected workstation components are powered normally.
Look for:
- Blank monitor
- Frozen login screen
- No keyboard or mouse response
- Monitor powered off while the host remains on
- UPS or power strip alarm
- Loose power cord at the console area
Expected outcome: The issue is not caused by a simple console display, input, or local power problem.
If reseating an external power or display connection restores normal operation, confirm successful startup and stop.
Check for Facility Power or UPS Issues
Confirm whether the MRI console room, equipment room, and associated workstation power sources are stable.
Ask whether there was a recent power outage, emergency power transfer, electrical work, UPS alarm, or breaker event.
Expected outcome: External power instability is either identified or ruled out.
If power instability is suspected, notify Facilities and do not continue repeated restart attempts until the power source is verified.
Review System Messages and Message History
Open the system message area or message history if the system allows access.
Document any messages related to:
- Host
- MaRS / reconstruction
- Database
- Disk space
- Network connection
- Scanner communication
- MR View&GO
- Failed startup component
- Previous incomplete shutdown
Expected outcome: The fault category is better defined for service documentation.
Siemens identifies Numaris X system messages as being summarized in message history, with different message areas depending on single- or dual-monitor configuration.
Ask Clinical Staff What Changed Before the Fault
Check whether the issue followed:
- Software update
- Protocol import
- Power event
- Network outage
- PACS outage
- Failed exam reconstruction
- Full storage condition
- User login change
- Peripheral replacement
- Recent vendor service visit
Expected outcome: A likely trigger is identified or ruled out.
If the issue began after a known software update or vendor service action, document that clearly before escalation.
Check Local Storage and Reconstruction Behavior
If the system starts but reconstruction fails, verify whether the issue affects one exam, one protocol, or all studies.
Ask the technologist whether:
- Raw data appears present
- Images are delayed
- Only advanced reconstructions fail
- All sequences fail to reconstruct
- The patient browser is accessible
- Prior studies can be opened
- New exams can be registered
Expected outcome: The issue is separated into a single-study reconstruction problem or a broader host/reconstruction system fault.
If only one exam or sequence is affected, preserve the study data and escalate to Siemens support with the exam details.
Check Network-Dependent Functions
Determine whether the fault is truly host/reconstruction related or actually a network/archive issue.
Verify whether the MAGNETOM Sola can:
- Send images to PACS
- Query worklist
- Reach configured destinations
- Open local patient browser studies
- Complete exams without transfer errors
Expected outcome: PACS, worklist, and network transfer issues are not mistaken for a host or reconstruction failure.
If other imaging systems are also having PACS or worklist problems, escalate through imaging IT or network support rather than treating this as an isolated MRI scanner failure.
Check External Network Connections in the Console Area
Visually inspect accessible network connections at the console, workstation area, and approved external patch points.
Do not enter restricted MRI equipment cabinets or disturb vendor-controlled internal connections.
Expected outcome: No obvious disconnected external network cable or patch issue is found.
If a loose external network connection is corrected and communication returns, verify normal workflow with clinical staff and stop.
Perform an Orderly Restart Only if Safe and Appropriate
If no patient is active and the system is in a safe state, perform only the approved shutdown or restart process available to the site.
Do not force power-cycle MRI cabinets, reconstruction hardware, or equipment room components unless directed by Siemens service or site policy.
Expected outcome: The system restarts cleanly and startup errors clear.
Siemens Healthineers has Numaris X shutdown/restart guidance for MAGNETOM systems, including Sola, and notes that the host computer and MaRS are included in the computer system shutdown process.
If the restart clears the issue, confirm login, patient browser access, test workflow readiness, and image transfer status before returning the system to clinical use.
Verify the System Reaches a Clinically Ready State
After startup, confirm with MRI staff that the system reaches the normal home screen and is ready for standard workflow.
Check for:
- No active critical messages
- Successful user login
- Patient browser available
- Worklist available if used
- Protocol selection available
- No reconstruction queue backlog
- No recurring host or MaRS fault
- Successful image display or transfer if a test workflow is permitted
Expected outcome: The system is not returned to service based only on a cleared screen; basic operational readiness is confirmed.
Do Not Clear, Delete, or Modify Study Data Without Approval
If storage, reconstruction queue, or patient browser problems are suspected, do not delete exams, raw data, or reconstruction files unless directed by Siemens service and approved by site policy.
Expected outcome: Patient data is protected and vendor support can review the fault condition.
Escalate Repeated or Persistent Startup/Reconstruction Faults
If the MAGNETOM Sola repeatedly fails startup, freezes, cannot access host functions, cannot reconstruct images, or shows recurring MaRS/reconstruction faults, remove it from clinical use.
Expected outcome: The system is treated as a service-level MRI failure, not a routine user workflow issue.
If the Problem Persists
If power, monitor/input devices, external network conditions, message review, workflow checks, and an orderly restart do not resolve the issue, the likely cause is internal to the host, reconstruction system, software environment, storage/database, or scanner communication path.
The MAGNETOM Sola should be:
- Removed from service
- Labeled Out of Service
- Reported to MRI leadership
- Escalated to Siemens Healthineers service or qualified MRI service support
- Held for vendor/bench-level evaluation before clinical use resumes
Knowing when to stop is proper troubleshooting. MRI host and reconstruction faults can affect exam completion, image availability, and patient data integrity.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot Numaris X startup or reconstruction faults while a patient is on the table or inside the bore. Get the patient safely off the system first, then troubleshoot only when the scan room and console area are controlled.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"MRI staff reported the Siemens MAGNETOM Sola would not complete Numaris X startup and displayed a host/reconstruction fault at the operator console."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering verified console power, monitor/input operation, external network connections, and system message history; fault returned after an orderly restart, indicating a likely internal host or reconstruction system issue."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Removed the MRI system from service, labeled it Out of Service, notified MRI leadership, and escalated to Siemens Healthineers service with documented fault messages and startup behavior."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact Numaris X error message or code
- Time and date of failure
- Whether a patient was active
- Whether fault occurred during startup, scan, reconstruction, or transfer
- Host, MaRS, database, or reconstruction messages
- Console monitor and input status
- UPS or facility power observations
- Network/PACS/worklist behavior
- Whether other imaging systems had network issues
- Whether an orderly restart was attempted
- Whether the fault returned after restart
- Any unusual sound, heat, odor, or equipment room alarm
- Final device status
Final Thought
MAGNETOM Sola startup and reconstruction faults should be approached carefully because they may affect image creation, workflow continuity, and patient record availability. Start with safe, external, verifiable checks, document the exact system behavior, and escalate when the fault points beyond Clinical Engineering troubleshooting.
That is successful troubleshooting.