Philips Ingenia: periodic preventive maintenance schedule (no fault)
What happened
An engineer asked for the periodic preventive maintenance routine for a Philips Ingenia MRI. There was no breakdown - the request was purely about planning the service work.
What was checked
- Monthly (as reported in the case): PIQT and gradient-dump creation.
- Quarterly (as reported): filter cleaning, RF amplifier calibration tests, BDAS board calibration, PWM check, search for stray noise, voltage checks on the cabinet and BDAS power supplies, host configuration backup.
- Every six months (as reported): system backup, gradient coil cooling sensor check, water-cooling connections inspected for leaks, gradient amplifier door sensor, patient table and pickup panel service, load resistance and pickup coil check.
- Yearly (as reported): gradient cable re-torque, Q-body coil capacitor check, grounding and leakage currents at the power distribution unit, RF amplifier airflow, gradient coil water replacement, quench vent check.
Cause
Not a fault. The case reflects a common gap: no written interval-based maintenance plan kept at hand, so the engineer had to ask colleagues for a working routine.
What was done
In this single case the engineers compiled a working schedule at the intervals reported above and used it as a site checklist. The outcome was described as solved. Calibration and adjustment steps were treated as procedures from the manufacturer's service documentation, done by authorised personnel; the checklist supplements, but does not replace, the official manual for the specific configuration.
Safety
The magnet is always on: keep MR-zone access discipline and cryogen/quench precautions, and complete the manufacturer's electrical safety checks (earth bonding and leakage currents) before returning the scanner to clinical use.
Lesson: A simple interval-based preventive maintenance checklist, kept on site and filled in honestly, prevents more downtime than any late fault call.
Covered in the course: MRI Service — Level 2: Fault-Finding →
Written from an anonymised case shared by service engineers. It is not a manufacturer instruction and grants no authorisation. Independent note; names are trademarks of their owners.