Philips Marks 1,111 Helium-Free MRI Operations Installs

Philips announced the 1,111^th installation of its BlueSeal 1.5T magnet at Puerto Rico’s Vida Imaging & Breast Center.
 
The BlueSeal magnet touts economic and sustainability benefits with helium-free MRI operations. Helium-free operations help boost resilience against the tropical storms that hit Puerto Rico every year, delivering care for patients who might otherwise not be able to access advanced MRI scanning.
 
“Puerto Rico has tropical storms every year. Philips BlueSeal magnet technology allows us to de-energize our MRI system to prepare the MRI department for this situation and restore operations quickly once it is safe, all from the MRI console,” said Dr. Mayra Maldonado, owner and CEO of the Vida Imaging & Breast Center.
 
The magnet can be shut down and re-energized without loss of its helium coolant. This enables the MRI to be up and running when needed. Transport systems are disrupted after a hurricane or other natural disaster and obtaining helium—especially in remote locations—can take weeks. A conventional MRI scanner needs up to 1,700 liters of liquid helium, much of which may be lost during periodic magnet shutdowns.
 
The Philips BlueSeal magnet needs merely a pre-load of seven liters of liquid helium during manufacturing. It loses none of that helium even during a magnet quench—a sudden loss of superconductivity in the magnet coil that rapidly boils the liquid helium. Once the danger has passed, the company’s artificial intelligence (AI)-powered EasySwitch ensures orderly shutdown and magnet re-energizing.
 
Philips said the BlueSeal magnet is 900 kg lighter than a traditional system. This means the company’s MR systems with the magnet can be installed in previously unthinkable places like elevated floors or indoor sites with construction limitations. The technology is available in mobile units that can further expand access, as well.
 
“The installation of our Philips MR 5300 scanner, with a 70cm bore and equipped with the 1,111th BlueSeal magnet at Vida Imaging & Breast Center in Puerto Rico is a testament to the global adoption of our innovative technology. Since 2018, Philips has been the first to provide helium-free MR operations worldwide, improving access to better care for more patients, and we will continue to drive innovation in this space,” said Ruud Zwerink, Business Leader of MR at Philips. “BlueSeal magnet technology has proven to be the system of choice for improved diagnostic capabilities, while providing an answer to growing concerns about helium supply chain disruptions, saving approximately 1.9 million liters of liquid helium to date.”