The scanner features artificial intelligence designed to improve patient workflow and image quality, while accelerating exams.
Siemens Healthineers has received US Food and Drug Administration clearance for the Magnetom Flow.Ace, its first 1.5 tesla (T) platform for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with a closed helium circuit and no quench pipe, significantly reducing reliance on helium.
The system, which has a 60 cm bore, is also the first Siemens Healthineers MR scanner to be marketed to the veterinary radiology community as well as for general radiology. It covers the entire range of MR applications, with image reconstruction based on artificial intelligence (AI) to enable shorter scan times with improved image quality. Its range of contour and dedicated MR coils can be used for a variety of human anatomies, and coils are also available for veterinary applications, according to the company.
The Magnetom Flow.Ace is the second virtually helium-free MR platform from Siemens Healthineers, following the 0.55T Magnetom Free platform. “With the FDA clearance of the Magnetom Flow.Ace, Siemens Healthineers is pleased to introduce our first helium-free 1.5T MR scanner,” says Katie Grant, head of Magnetic Resonance at Siemens Healthineers North America, in a release.
The Magnetom Flow.Ace requires 0.7 liters of liquid helium for cooling, compared with conventional MRI scanners, which typically require over 1,000 liters. This reduced helium requirement is due to the magnet’s DryCool technology, which can lower costs and save resources by reducing a dependency on helium refills.
The system design also eliminates the need for a quench pipe, which was required previously to safely allow large amounts of gaseous helium to escape directly into the atmosphere during an emergency shutdown. This lack of a quench pipe, combined with the scanner’s compact size, can reduce installation requirements and costs compared with those of other 1.5T MR scanners, according to the company.
The Magnetom Flow.Ace also reduces annual energy consumption by more than 30% compared with the company’s previous generation of MR scanners, according to company data on file. The Eco Power Mode feature automatically deactivates energy-intensive components when they are not needed.
The scanner uses AI to support automated workflows as well as improved image quality and shorter exam times. Deep Resolve image reconstruction technology is designed to enable accelerated image acquisition, remove noise, and improve the sharpness of small structures.
