CHICAGO - Philips Medical Systems North America of Shelton, CT, unveiled a new line of MRI scanners at this week's RSNA meeting that emphasize interactive imaging techniques.
The systems, called Gyroscan Intera, feature a new, shorter magnet, stronger gradients, and a new reconstruction system that can reconstruct up to 196 images per second.
Users of Gyroscan Intera scanners can conduct interactive scanning techniques such as changing slice positions on the fly, or driving through a series of slices to find a region of interest in an organ, according to the company.
To develop the system, Philips upgraded the F2000 magnet used in its older Gyroscan NT line, shortening the bore by 10 cm to a total length of 157 cm. Intera's new gradient system comes in three versions -- Omni, Power, and Master -- with the Master gradients capable of a slew rate of 150 millitesla/meter/millisecond. Philips is working on a next generation of gradients, called SynchraScan, that will support slew rates of up to 400 mtesla/m/ms.
Intera scanners are available at 0.5 tesla, 1 tesla, and 1.5 tesla. Philips also plans to offer cardiac and interventional versions of Intera, called Intera CV and Intera I/T, respectively. Intera I/T, currently a work in progress, will support advanced imaging applications like functional MRI, spectroscopy, and diffusion imaging.
Intera will replace the NT scanners in Philips' MRI product line. Any NT system installed in the field can upgrade to the Intera model, according to the company.
AuntMinnie.com staff writersDecember 1, 1999
