Sanrad’s new Open MRI model

By Som Panicker

Despite the great demand for high field strength 1.5T or 3T MRI units all over the world, the cost-effective permanent MRI is one of the viable investments for developing countries like India. An Open MRI system is good enough for a small or medium diagnostic centre with less than 10 MRI examinations per day which can assure a return on investment.

Sanrad, India’s leading medical equipment company, recently announced their latest Open MRI model ELIXBO 545 from MDT, USA, with completely re-designed light weighted magnet and the latest software version with an overall 20 per cent improvement of image quality from its previous model.

This totally re-engineered product has already attracted the attention of customers around the globe and many units were shipped to various destinations. The new model is much lighter and weighs just 12Tons instead of the earlier 23Tons model.

At 0.45T, MDT’s ELIXBO 545 surpassed the Open MRI strength limit predicted years ago for a permanent magnet system. It is the result of several years of research and combined efforts by the University of Connecticut and MDT that the world’s first 0.45T whole body permanent magnet Open MRI systems became a reality. This system is developed by using an innovative technology and is protected by several international patents. This effort has been supported by a variety of resources, including the Connecticut Innovative Fund, NIH grants, Hartford Hospital, and the Health Centre of the University of Connecticut. 

ELIXBO 545 MRI system is a brand new product benefiting from the companies patented dynamic balancing technology, whose design philosophy is based on the electromagnetic field. This is achieved by integrating the design of magnet, gradient and RF systems into one process. ELIXBO 545 MRI is characterised by its high-quality images and fast acquisitions, making the clinical applications of advanced technologies feasible in low fields.

MDT is the first company in the world to bring out some of the most talked about innovations in MR technology such as:

• Divided Current Active Shielding Technology (DCAST), which will reduce the eddy current and residual magnetization.
• High Order Active Shimming (HAOS), this helps in preventing field drift and thus improve homogeneity of the magnet.
• High Flux Efficiency Pole Design (HFEPD), this technology helps to maintain field strength v/s weight of the magnet, thus making ELIXBO 545, one of the lightest MRI systems available in the world.
• ELIXBO 545 has homogeneity less than 0.9ppm, one of the best permanent MRI designs.
• The gradient strength, which is the critical parameter for high definition quality imaging like EPI, DWI is 25mT/m with a slew rate of 55mT/m/s, thus making MDT one of the most technically perfect systems.

USP of the product

The product makes use of protected core technologies. The key is to acquire high quality images and establish a stable imaging environment in a permanent magnet system.

• Protected core technology
• Lightweight magnet design
• Self-shielded gradient design
• Active shimming minimizing eddy currents
• Flat coil design
• Best of industry homogeneity close to superconducting systems
• Image quality matching with high field superconducting systems
• Minimum power consumption
• High power gradient strength and slew rate

Key features and benefits

• The laser guided patient handling system is designed for patient comfort and scan control convenience. 3D omni-access can position patient body parts optimally.
• Patient comfort space is provided by soft lighting, integrated audio system and ventilation.
• Self-diagnosis and remote diagnosis abilities ensure fast and efficient customer service and long-term customer satisfaction.
• Magnet on-board dual LCD console with controls provides communication, image display and scan control capabilities within the shielding room.
• Equipped with an array of RF coils with multi-channel phased-array capability.

Advantages

• Faster - faster imaging speed
• Higher - higher resolution and SNR
• Gating - all three types like cardiac, respiratory and pulse
• Breathe Hold Sequences - very useful fro abdominal and MRCP imaging
• Multi Acquisition - up to 4 channel design
• Digital Design - digital spectrometer makes it more accurate and reliable  
• Connects - MDT is a DICOM 3 system makes communication with HIS/RIS.
• Artifact Removal - newer technique like metal artifact removal, respiratory artifact removal.
• More Feasible - ELIXBO 545 MRI makes QD as well as parallel imaging feasible in a permanent magnet system enabling fast dynamic imaging
• More functions - high field clinical applications available, including EPI and cardiac imaging, fat water imaging, DWI, and ADC mapping
• Diagnosis feature - supports real-time imaging for MRI-guided therapy
• Latest developments - MDT is one of the first to introduce high temperature superconducting (HTS) to design highly efficient RF and gradient coils

Sanrad Medical Systems

Sanrad Medical Systems is a reputed medical imaging equipment company dealing in CT scanners and MRI systems, and provides technical services to more than 390 CT installations in India and a few other Asian countries. It maintains the largest inventory of CT scan parts and is probably the largest in Asia. It is the only company offering factory refurbished 64 slice Cardiac CT scanner systems in India with full warranty. It also deals in brand new permanent Open MRI systems from MDT, USA. The company has recently introduced world’s first Helium less super conducting 1.5T MRI based on the revolutionary magnet technology from Mitsubishi and the cold head technology from Sumitomo, Japan. 

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