Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, Mich, is the first facility in the world to implement GE Healthcare’s Silent Scan, a technology that greatly reduces acoustic noise during an MRI scan. According to GE, while conventional MRI scanners generate more than 110 dB, the company’s technology reduces it to background sound levels

In the past, attempts to reduce MRI noise typically involved a combination of acoustic dampening material and performance degradation. The Silent Scan technology uses a new type of 3D MR acquisition that, combined with proprietary high-fidelity gradient and RF system electronics, significantly reduces noise. Silent Scan is available on GE’s 1.5T and 3.0T systems currently available for routine head examinations.