Philips showcases helium-free mobile MRI at RSNA

BlueSeal MR Mobile’s magnet technology advances patient outcomes and access to care with high quality diagnostic imaging and enhanced workflows.

Royal Philips showcases the world’s first mobile MRI system with helium-free operations at the 2023 annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). BlueSeal MR Mobile¹, the industry’s first and only 1.5T fully sealed magnet, delivers patient-centric MRI services where and whenever needed. Unlike other mobile MRI scanners, the BlueSeal MR Mobile is more agile and lightweight so it can be located in more convenient places for patients, like near a hospital’s main entrance, the company reports.

The first BlueSeal MR Mobile unit, developed for outpatient radiology and oncology solutions provider Akumin, will debut on the show floor at RSNA. With more than 600 systems installed globally, the MRI scanners are equipped with Philips’ BlueSeal magnet technology that saved more than 1.5 million liters of helium since 2018. The extension of this technology in a mobile unit means Philips will be able to expand quality access to MRI exams for more patients in more places, in a more sustainable way with helium-free operations.

“Philips is partnering with healthcare systems to help them tackle resource constraints and continued increases in patient volumes, and having access to mobile MRI scanners is a real game-changer for remote and rural communities around the world. By introducing our breakthrough technology into the mobile MR market, we are significantly reducing the operational and sustainability issues associated with conventional scanners and helping healthcare providers to deliver fast, patient-friendly quality of care,” said Ruud Zwerink, General Manager Magnetic Resonance at Philips. Unlike conventional MRI magnets, which typically require around 1,500 liters of liquid helium, a Philips BlueSeal magnet only needs to be pre-loaded with 7 liters, providing a major advantage in terms of up-time and costs. BlueSeal MR Mobile can also connect to Philips Radiology Operations Command Center (ROCC) a multi-vendor, multi-modality, virtual imaging solution, which securely connects technologists with remote imaging experts in real-time using audio, video, and peer-to-peer text chat capabilities.

¹ This product is not yet CE marked, and not yet available for sale in Europe. Available only in the U.S. market.

Source: Philips

27.11.2023