Philips raises curtain on next-gen helium-sealed MRI scanner

Philips said it plans to demonstrate the next generation of its MRI scanner at the annual meeting of Radiological Society of North America, which is being held in Chicago early next month. (Philips)

Philips unveiled the next generation of its MRI scanner, with sealed magnets that do not need to be recharged with liquid helium coolant.

The company’s fully enclosed BlueSeal line was first introduced in 2018. The scanners only require 7 liters of helium during their manufacture, while previous imaging hardware—which would slowly release the gas into the atmosphere—may need as much as 1,500 liters over their lifetime.

That makes the healthcare industry the world’s largest buyer of helium, claiming around 30% of the total. Previously, Philips has estimated that about 50,000 helium-cooled MRI scanners are in use worldwide.

This article was written By Conor Hale