Philips’ AI-Powered MRI Magnet Wins MedTech Breakthrough Award

Philips’ AI-Powered MRI Magnet Wins MedTech Breakthrough Award

(IN BRIEF) Philips’ BlueSeal MR operations magnet has received the ‘Best New Technology Solution for Radiology’ award at the 7th annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards program. The BlueSeal Magnet is the first and only fully sealed magnet in the industry that requires only 0.5% of the helium used in industry-standard MR system magnets over its lifetime. This innovative design addresses the pressing need to reduce the consumption of helium, a finite resource. The BlueSeal Magnet was first unveiled with the Philips MR-Ingenia Ambition and has now been extended with the latest MR 5300 scanner, providing helium-free MR operations without compromising diagnostic confidence or patient and staff experience. The BlueSeal Magnet is part of a range of health technologies and innovations from Philips that are designed to reduce hospitals’ dependency on natural resources and energy consumption and help them meet their sustainability goals.

(PRESS RELEASE) AMSTERDAM, 4-May-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE: PHG, AMS: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, announces that its BlueSeal helium-free MR operations magnet has been named the ‘Best New Technology Solution for Radiology’ in the 7th annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards program. The breakthrough design of Philips’ BlueSeal Magnet addresses the urgent need to reduce the consumption of helium, a finite resource. It is the industry’s first and only 1.5T fully sealed magnet that only requires 0.5% of the helium normally needed over the operational lifetime of industry-standard MR system magnets.

The BlueSeal Magnet was first introduced as part of the Philips MR – Ingenia Ambition and is now extended with the latest MR 5300 scanner which offers helium-free MR operations with no compromise on diagnostic confidence and an improved patient and staff experience. BlueSeal is one of a range of Philips leading health technologies and innovations designed to reduce hospitals’ dependency on natural resources and energy consumption and help meet their sustainability goals.

The MedTech Breakthrough Awards program honors excellence and recognizes innovation, hard work, and success in a range of health and medical technology categories. This year’s program attracted more than 4,000 nominations from over 17 different countries throughout the world.

Compared to around 1,500 liters required for a conventional MR magnet, an MR scanner using Philips’ BlueSeal Magnet is pre-loaded with a mere 7 liters of helium during manufacture, and remains essentially helium-free in operations for its life cycle. It reduces operating costs for hospitals, simplifies installation due to its reduced weight, and increases patient and staff safety by eliminating helium venting, even during a magnet quench.

“We see ourselves as a developer of resilient, energy-efficient, sustainable healthcare products and solutions. Our BlueSeal Magnet not only has the potential to steeply reduce the consumption of helium in the medical industry, but also ensures that on-site operators don’t need to worry about helium-related complications and unpredictability,” said Ruud Zwerink, General Manager MR at Philips.

Philips’ BlueSeal Magnet comes with the unique ability to rapidly return to normal operation after an interruption, such as a magnetic object becoming stuck in the bore. It is supported by an artificial intelligence (AI*) algorithm in its control electronics that enables single-click discharge and re-energization of the magnet from behind the MR console. This EasySwitch feature is one of several examples of how Philips is using AI to speed radiology workflows. Philips MR SmartSpeed imaging technology, which boosts speed and image quality and is enabling the MR scanner to use up to 53% less power per patient scan¹, Philips MR AI Protocol Assistant, Philips VitalEye, Philips SmartExam, and Philips MRCAT Brain and Head and Neck software are other examples of AI-driven innovations to further accelerate radiology workflows and enable MR only simulations.

Philips is committed to providing leading health technologies and innovations designed to reduce hospitals’ dependency on natural resources and energy consumption and help meet their sustainability goals.

Philips offers an advanced MR solution that integrates with a comprehensive portfolio of smart diagnostic systems, including CT, diagnostic X-ray, ultrasound, and informatics. These solutions connect radiology, oncology, cardiology, and pathology teams to enable precision in diagnosis and treatment. By streamlining diagnostic workflows and providing timely access to critical data, Philips’ solutions help hospitals improve efficiency, increase clinical confidence, and deliver better patient outcomes. The interoperable systems also help address staff shortages, control costs, and support healthcare providers in tackling the challenges of modern healthcare.

* According to the definition of AI from the EU High-Level Expert Group.

¹Applicable to Ambition S. Philips SmartSpeed power consumption versus Philips SENSE based scanning. Based on COCIR and in-house simulated environment. Results can vary based on site conditions.

Media contact:

Joost Maltha
Philips Global Press Office
Tel: +31 6 10 55 8116
joost.maltha@philips.com

SOURCE: Koninklijke Philips N.V.