There are many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of medical imaging equipment and spare parts and each of them have their own way to display their part number references. We understand that this can be confusing and therefore, we have made this short summary for our 5 top brands: Siemens, GE, Philips, Canon (former Toshiba) and Hologic.
The rule says that the part numbers for Siemens always consist of eight digits. This applies for all the modalities, CT scanner, MRI scanner, and an ultrasound.
Exceptions:
There can be exceptions happening when the number starts with a zero, such as 07546802. In those cases, the first zero can be missing, resulting in showing just seven last digits, 7546802.
Revisions:
Siemens part numbers are special in the fact that the revisions and updates are not visible in the part number (PN) labels. Any changes like this result in completely new numbers for the part.
Because of this, it can be beneficial to read the descriptions of the part and search for the alternative parts too. Then, if the description of those alternatives seems suitable for you, you can add them to your search and increase the chances of finding the right one.
However, to be sure about the compatibility of the alternative part with your system, you will have to see Siemens’ manual, contact a technician, or get in touch with a spare parts specialist.
The part numbers for GE Healthcare most commonly consist of seven digits, such as 5120311.
Exceptions:
There are exceptions for certain X-ray modalities, for instance for C-arms. On those parts, the PN labels contain a 10-digit number instead, such as 00-904035-01.
Revisions:
GE chose to show the revisions of their spare parts by using a dash, followed by the number of revisions, resulting in a number looking like, for example, 5120311-3.
To fully understand the PN label, in the shown case, the revision number is 3, which often indicates that there is the revision 3 installed on your system. For your spare part search, it means that you can search for revision 3, 4, 5 and above, but anything below will not work for you.
It is known for GE parts that there are often many compatible options available. Therefore, it is not rare that you will find different imaging part numbers which are suitable for your system.
When searching for Philips parts, the numbers always consist of twelve digits. Comparably to Siemens, it is the same for CT scanner, MRI scanner, or an ultrasound system.
As a rule, the first eleven digits describe spare part and the last one the revision of it.
Exceptions:
In most cases, PN label looks like, for example, 4522 132 64363 or 452213264363. Both describing the same part. Moreover, some parts can have the revision highlighted, which would look like 45221326436(3).
Here, again, the last revision number 3 means that revision 1 or 2 is not suitable for your system, while a revision 4, 5, or 6 can be.
When it comes to Canon Medical part numbers, it can be a bit tricky due to the acquisition of Toshiba Medical.
Nevertheless, there are general rules for Canon part numbers. The PN label consists of letters at the beginning, which makes it easier to distinguish.
Most commonly, Canon part numbers consist of two or three letters at the beginning, followed by nine digits, such as PX79-24250 or BSX77-4064. Furthermore, the part numbers for MRI coils and other accessories may start with four letters and end with a letter, such as MJAJ-107A.
Revisions:
To display revisions, Canon chose to use letters again, usually symbol and a letter, such as PX79-26870*C. In the shown case, the revision C means that you system has installed the revision C, so revision A or B is not suitable for it. The suitable parts for you might be with the revision C, D, E, or anything above.
Canon also uses Group references, resulting in the PN label showing PX79-26870*C Gr. 3 for the exact same part.
Hologic
Hologic, Inc. is an American medical technology company founded in 1985. Its primary focus is on women’s health. The company offers medical devices for diagnostics, surgery, and medical imaging.
Hologic Part Numbers
Hologic’s way to display the part numbers is a bit different from the other brands. Most commonly, the spare parts are named by 3 letters, followed by 5 numbers, such as pcb-00064, where the first three letters describe the part. In the shown case, “pcb” stands for “printed circuit board”.
Exceptions:
The three first letters do not have to be always so clear, such as in ASY-01945, where the letters refer to the word “assembly” and the PN describes a mammography screening paddle.
Revisions:
Revisions for Hologic are not always clearly displayed, since there are no new revisions for, for example, foot pedals. However, when it comes to spare parts with various revisions, it is most often displayed by a letter in the end of the part number, such as RAC30-24SA.
