Siemens Healthineers' latest 'helium-free' MRI nabs FDA clearance
Siemens Healthineers has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its 70cm bore Magnetom Flow platform.
The health tech company announced the news on Thursday, noting that the new platform should help facilities address the growing demand for imaging. The 1.5T scanners has a closed helium circuit and no quench pipe, which drastically reduces the amount of helium required to keep the magnet cooled.
The system requires just 0.7 liters of liquid helium for cooling—conventional scanners require up to 1,000 liters or more. This also reduces energy consumption by up to 56% compared to traditional scanners, according to Siemens.
This is Siemens’ third helium-free system to date. Its 0.55T Magnetom Free was cleared by the FDA in 2021, while its more recent Magnetom Flow.Ace—a 60cm bore 1.5T MRI scanner—was cleared in June.
“The 70cm Magnetom Flow platform is an intelligent magnetic resonance scanner that exceeds clinical expectations and simplifies workflows while doubling down on our commitment to sustainability in healthcare,” Katie Grant, head of magnetic resonance at Siemens Healthineers North America, said in an announcement. “This platform can help healthcare institutions meet the demands of higher patient throughput in less time than previous generations of MR scanners while also lowering the total cost of ownership.”
In addition to energy consumption savings afforded by the decreased reliance on helium, the scanner’s compact size also reduces installation costs. Its artificial intelligence-enabled workflows simplify and standardize setup parameters, paving the way for quicker scans and increased throughput, which also could impact a radiology department's bottom line.
This latest clearance comes as numerous big-name manufacturers have signaled interest in helium-free MRI technology. The rising popularity of these systems reflects the growing trend of radiology stakeholders’ desire to create more sustainable operations.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.