Image by Hricak et al., 2021
Why This Matters
Picture this: a critically ill patient in a small-town hospital suddenly shows signs of a stroke. The doctors know that every minute counts, because obviously, “time is brain,” with nearly two million neurons lost for each minute an ischemic stroke goes untreated. Yet, there’s a problem. The hospital doesn’t have a CT scanner. The only option is a risky and time-consuming ambulance transfer to a distant city.
This is not an isolated scenario. Around the world, access to CT imaging is deeply unequal. The map below shows that many low- and lower-middle-income countries have fewer than 5 CT scanners per million inhabitants, while in high-income countries the density often exceeds 30 CT scanners per million inhabitants. The consequences are predictable: delayed diagnoses, worse outcomes, and growing inequity between those who live near major hospitals and those who don’t.
Even when CT scanners are available, transporting fragile ICU patients through hospital corridors poses risks. Critically ill patients often need to be wheeled across long hallways, elevators, and busy corridors to reach the radiology suite. Every move carry risk. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 studies involving 12,313 intrahospital transports found that adverse events occurred in 26.2% of cases, with 1.47% being life-threatening, while minor vital sign changes occurred in 20.7% and equipment-related problems in 8.97% of transports
So, the question arises: instead of moving unstable patients to the scanner, what if we brought the scanner to the patient?
The Breakthrough – Samsung’s Mobile CT Portfolio
That “what if” is now reality. In August 2025, Samsung Electronics, together with its NeuroLogica subsidiary, launched a new portfolio of mobile CT scanners in India. The lineup includes four models – the CereTom® Elite, OmniTom® Elite, OmniTom® Elite PCD, and BodyTom® 32/64 – each designed to meet different clinical needs.
What sets them apart? They are built for portability, AI integration, and bedside use. Imagine a scanner on wheels that can be rolled straight into an ICU or ER, powered by rechargeable batteries, ready to deliver high-quality imaging without moving the patient.
Each system targets different clinical needs:
- CereTom Elite: Compact 8-slice CT, ideal for neuro ICU head scans, running on two hours of battery power.
- OmniTom Elite: Offers ultra-high-resolution imaging with slices as fine as 0.125 mm, powered for 1.5 hours.
- OmniTom Elite PCD: A next-gen model with photon-counting detectors for sharper, lower-dose imaging.
- BodyTom 32/64: A full-body mobile CT with an 85 cm gantry, capable of 32- or 64-slice scans, with up to 12 hours of standby.
The philosophy is consistent across the portfolio: eliminate unnecessary transfers, bring imaging closer to patients, and democratize access to lifesaving technology, especially in underserved areas. Together, these scanners represent a shift in how we think about imaging: not as a fixed-room technology, but as a flexible tool that can be delivered wherever patients need it most.
How It Works – Smarter, Safer Imaging
Mobile CT scanners aren’t just about wheels and batteries. Beyond that, they are actually designed for smart, safe, and seamless use.
Battery-Powered Portability
Traditional CT scanners are fixed installations that are tethered specialized rooms, high-voltage power supplies, and costly infrastructure. Mobile CT systems, by contrast, are built for flexibility: they run on lithium-polymer batteries that provide several hours of independent operation, and models such as the BodyTom incorporate internal lead shielding to minimize radiation scatter, making bedside use safe. Clinical evidence supports the protective value of shielding – one study of 150 patients found that lead shields reduced radiation exposure to sensitive organs by roughly 15-35%, with the greatest protection observed in neck and abdominal scans.
AI-Assisted Scanning
AI integration speeds up the imaging process, from patient positioning to image reconstruction. Samsung’s mobile CT platforms use AI tools to deliver high-quality images quickly, while also integrating with hospital IT systems for immediate sharing. The result? Faster workflows and quicker decisions at the bedside.
Photon-Counting Detectors (PCD)
The OmniTom Elite PCD model includes photon-counting detectors, a leap forward in CT technology. Unlike conventional detectors that sum total X-ray energy, PCDs measure each photon individually. The outcome: crisper images, fewer artifacts, and reduced radiation doses. This means safer scans and sharper diagnostic accuracy, even for complex cases like patients with metal implants. Seamless Digital Integration
Bedside imaging isn’t useful if results can’t be shared instantly. Mobile CT scanners integrate seamlessly with PACS and EMR systems, enabling near-instant image sharing while evidence shows that such integration improves efficiency and collaboration – CT technologist note usage in PACS rose by 32% (from 9.2% to 12.1%), yielding 14 workflow and safety improvements, and PACS-EMR integration cut access time from 52 to 6 seconds, increased EMR consultation rates from 36.7% to 44.9%, and saved over 8 hours of radiologist time annually. This makes them functionally equivalent to fixed scanners in terms of connectivity, but far superior in accessibility
Potential in LMICs and Rural Areas
The greatest impact of mobile CT could be felt in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and rural regions, where infrastructure is thin and disparities in access are stark.
Mobile CT offers a practical workaround:
- No new buildings required: Because mobile scanners are self-shielded and battery-powered, they can fit through standard hospital doors without expensive construction.
- Shared models: One unit could rotate between smaller hospitals or be mounted on a van to create “CT on wheels.”
- Emergency care: Rural facilities could diagnose and treat strokes or trauma cases on site, rather than losing precious hours to transfers.
Economically, mobile CT can be cost-effective. A systematic review indicates that mobile CT and MRI scanners deliver comparable diagnostic performance to fixed units, while cost-minimization analysis shows that a shared mobile system across hospitals can reduce total costs by more than 50% compared to fixed installations, in addition to improving access, lowering travel expenses, and decreasing hospital stay durations.
The impact is human as much as technical. A rural doctor can perform a scan and instantly consult with a specialist hundreds of miles away. A patient who would otherwise face an all-day journey for a diagnosis can be treated locally, with dignity and speed. This is what democratizing advanced care looks like.
Barriers and What’s Next
Of course, mobile CT isn’t a silver bullet. Several challenges remain.
Cost
Mobile CTs, especially those with photon-counting technology, are still expensive – sometimes several times the price of conventional scanners. Scaling up production, encouraging local manufacturing, and exploring innovative financing models will be critical.
Training and Workforce
Operating CT scanners requires skilled staff, and LMICs face steep workforce shortages. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, there are only 1.9 radiologists per million people compared with 97.9 per million in high-income countries. Closing the gap would require training nearly 65 more radiologists and 3 more nuclear medicine physicians per million population. Without investment in training, even the most advanced machines risk sitting idle.
Maintenance and Support
High-tech mobile scanners need reliable servicing. Manufacturers may need to set up local service centers and train biomedical engineers in LMICs to ensure uptime.
Proof of Impact
Healthcare systems want evidence, and policymakers and hospitals will want hard data: Do bedside CTs reduce complications? Improve survival rates? Justify costs? Pilot projects in LMICs, with careful evaluation, will be essential to answer these questions.
Looking forward, innovation won’t stop here. We may see even further miniaturization; perhaps lighter CT designs, units that plug into standard outlets, or regional “CT vans” for community screening. If smartphones could shrink computers into our pockets, why not shrink CT scanners into tools for every hospital?
Conclusion – Democratizing Advanced Care
The story of mobile CT is more than just a tale of engineering innovation but also about rethinking healthcare delivery. Bedside CT flips the paradigm, adapting technology to the patient’s needs instead of the other way around.
For the critically ill, it eliminates the risks of transfer. For rural communities, it collapses the distance between diagnosis and care. For health systems, it holds the potential to narrow global inequities in access to advanced medicine.
Yes, costs and training challenges remain, but the trajectory is clear. In India and beyond, the rollout of mobile CT scanners marks a decisive step toward equitable healthcare. The vision is bold yet simple: no patient should be too far, too fragile, or too poor to access lifesaving imaging.
Again, CT at the bedside is more than a technical milestone but a promise as well as a statement of compassion, equity, and progress. In a future shaped by such innovations, healthcare won’t just be about machines; it will be about meeting people where they are, with the best tools we can bring.
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