The SIGNA Sprint Elite uses built-in AI reconstruction, free-breathing imaging, and wide-bore design to support complex cardiac studies, oncology and pediatric imaging, and scans for patients with implanted devices.
Inova has become the first health system to implement GE HealthCare’s SIGNA Sprint Elite, a next-generation MRI system developed to advance cardiac, oncologic, and pediatric imaging, as well as imaging for patients with implanted devices, according to a release from GE HealthCare.
GE HealthCare’s SIGNA Sprint Elite is a 1.5T MRI that leverages built-in AI technologies like AIR Recon DL, Sonic DL, and AIR x, designed to help enable high-quality imaging even in demanding anatomies. The system also offers free-breathing imaging options, reducing or eliminating the need for patients to hold their breath during scans, according to GE HealthCare.
“This technology represents a significant step forward in precision imaging and patient-centered care,” says Melany B. Atkins, MD, division chief, cardiovascular imaging and medical director of advanced cardiac imaging at Inova, in a release. “Being selected as the first health system in the world to implement SIGNA Sprint Elite reflects our commitment to advancing care through innovation while always prioritizing the patient experience.”
Located at Inova Fairfax Hospital, the new SIGNA Sprint Elite MRI will be integrated with Inova Schar Heart and Vascular, creating a specialized hub for advanced cardiac imaging. This will allow for collaboration among Inova’s nationally top-ranked heart and vascular teams while also expanding access for outpatients referred by community cardiologists and subspecialists. The system will support clinicians in advanced evaluation of complex and often underdiagnosed conditions such as cardiac amyloidosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and microvascular dysfunction, conditions that can be challenging to detect.
“The GE HealthCare system allows us to bring a high level of imaging expertise to both our most complex patients and to outpatients who need sophisticated diagnostics that might otherwise be missed,” says Christopher O’Connor, MD, president of Inova Schar Heart and Vascular, in a release.
Ana Barac, MD, PhD, D’Aniello chair of cardio-oncology at Inova Schar Cancer and Inova Schar Heart and Vascular, adds in a release, “It strengthens collaboration across specialties and enables earlier, precise cardiovascular diagnosis, while maintaining the same level of excellence that defines Inova’s nationally recognized clinical programs across the entire continuum of care.”
SIGNA Sprint Elite was also designed to help optimize patient comfort, providing a 70cm wide bore space and blanket-like AIR Coils to improve the patient experience. Because of the wide bore design and quiet scanning with flexible, blanket-like coils, patients may experience less anxiety and claustrophobic sensations than during traditional MRI exams, according to a release from GE HealthCare.
Because it operates at 1.5T, one of the most widely used MRI strengths in clinical care, GE HealthCare says the system is also well suited for imaging patients with many types of implanted medical devices, who may not be eligible for higher-field MRI scans.
“Inova’s commitment to delivering precision care with emphasis in cardiology and pediatrics exemplifies our vision for SIGNA Sprint Elite,” says Kelly Londy, CEO of MR at GE HealthCare, in a release. “Providing patients with comfort, clarity, and confidence inspires our intentional innovation in MR, and we are proud of this system’s ability to enable highly accurate imaging while prioritizing the patient experience.”
Photo caption: Inova Fairfax Hospital is presented with a “Certificate of Birth” for adopting GE HealthCare’s Signa Spring Elite 1.5T MRI platform.
Photo credit: GE HealthCare
