Sponsored • Corporate presentation at radiology congress
Bayer at ECR 2025: Less dose, more AI and sustainability
Contrast agents, AI and circular economy: Bayer presented new developments for radiology at its booth at the ECR Congress in Vienna. Particular emphasis was placed on digital assistance systems and sustainability.
Image source: Bayer
The company presented brand new study results on its new MRI contrast agent Gadoquatrane at the congress: With the QUANTI CNS Phase III study, the gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) has mastered another important milestone before market introduction, reported Dr Konstanze Diefenbach: ‘A key point is the reduction in dose by up to 60% compared to previous macrocyclic GBCAs, while maintaining the same diagnostic efficacy,’ explained the Head of Research and Development in Radiology at Bayer. This benefits patients with diseases of the central nervous system, who often have to undergo several contrast-enhanced MRI examinations. ‘The number of patients with such neurological diseases is expected to increase in the future. We are therefore particularly pleased with the positive results of the study, which represents an important step towards the market introduction of Gadoquatrane.’
AI platform expands diagnostic possibilities
To alleviate the burden on radiologists, Bayer is also increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI): ‘As a highly technical field, radiology offers many areas of application for AI,’ Dr Diefenbach pointed out. ‘We see great potential to optimise processes in diagnostic imaging and reduce the workload of medical professionals.’ This is reflected in numerous new AI-based functions implemented in the company's curated marketplace for AI-enabled radiology apps Calantic. For example, the system uses worklist optimisation to help with patient prioritisation, provides diagnostic support by quantifying lesions and uses automated warnings to draw attention to suspicious areas that may not have been detected by the clinician. ‘Our platform offers a complete package that is constantly developing,’ explains the expert. Bayer's efforts in AI also include the new “AI Innovation Platform”, which enables developers to create new AI tools and validate them using extensive radiological data sets.
Sustainability from the outside and from within
If an injector no longer works, there is no need to throw away the entire system
Konstanze Diefenbach
Matching the ECR congress motto “Planet Radiology”, Bayer also presented new measures aimed at achieving better environmental performance: ‘Our goal is to operate at net zero by 2030,’ explained Dr Diefenbach. ‘This also means that we already address the aspect of sustainability during product development.’ As an example of this paradigm shift, the expert presented the new packaging design for the Medrad Centargo CT injector system: ‘Compared to the previous packaging, we now use significantly less plastic. Weight and space consumption have also been reduced, which enables more efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly storage.’
Also deployed in the injector product family are the new re:contrast and re:device programmes: these are a recycling service for contrast media as well as injectors and their components to recover resources. ‘If an injector no longer works, there is no need to throw away the entire system,’ Dr Diefenbach emphasized. ‘Also, valuable substances such as iodine and gadolinium can be recycled from unused contrast media.’
Many of the new developments presented at ECR are the direct result of user feedback, explained the expert: ‘It is important to us to involve our customers in product development and refinement. This allows us to gain valuable insights into everyday clinical practice and the use of our solutions – and, ideally, help to reduce the workload in radiology.’ (WB)
03.04.2025
