Mobile 1.5 Tesla MRI System Brings High-Quality Diagnostic Imaging to Offsite Locations

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 29 Sep 2023

Image: The MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile magnetic resonance scanner has received FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Siemens Healthineers)

Healthcare providers need to continuously adapt to an ever-changing environment, making it a challenge for medical professionals to deliver faster and more effective care to patients wherever they may be. Now, a new mobile MRI scanner delivers high-quality care wherever the patients are while also offering healthcare practitioners the flexibility to decide where their MRI services are needed the most.

The MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile is a new 1.5 Tesla (1.5T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging scanner from Siemens Healthineers (Erlangen, Germany) that is specifically engineered for mobile use, offering unprecedented flexibility in deploying MR imaging. Designed to fit into a trailer, it can be easily transported to remote areas, bringing advanced medical imaging to patients with serious health conditions who might otherwise have to travel great distances for such services. Additionally, the MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile can also serve as a long-term MRI solution at healthcare facilities that may not have the space or funding for building a shielded room for a fixed-magnet system.

What sets the MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile apart is its incorporation of advanced technologies originally developed for Siemens Healthineers' stationary MRI machines. One such technology, BioMatrix, allows for adjustments according to different patient anatomies and physiological traits, ensuring personalized and consistent MRI exams. Another feature, Deep Resolve, employs artificial intelligence to not just enhance image clarity and reduce background noise but also to significantly speed up the scanning process—cutting down the time for some brain scans by up to 70%. These functionalities collectively streamline the workflow for healthcare providers while also improving the patient experience.

Furthermore, the MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile is equipped with myExam Companion, a feature that offers tiered guidance levels to radiologic technologists during the MRI exam. This ensures that even those with varying levels of experience can capture high-quality images consistently. The device also comes with a wide array of high-performing MR coils aimed at patient comfort, quick and easy processes, and exceptional imaging quality. Among these are the BioMatrix Head/Neck 20 coil, adjustable for each patient; the BioMatrix Body 18 coil with a Beat Sensor, which expands imaging capabilities and enables comprehensive cardiovascular MRI scans without the need for electrocardiogram triggering; and the UltraFlex Small & Large 18 coils, designed for quick, high-res imaging. The MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile has now received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“The MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile demonstrates our dedication to the mobile MR market by offering the latest and greatest technologies to patients who might lack convenient access to premium diagnostic MR scanners,” said Jane Kilkenny, vice president of magnetic resonance at Siemens Healthineers North America. “The introduction of the MAGNETOM Viato.Mobile is yet another example of our efforts to democratize high-end imaging technology to provide greater access to care.”

Related Links:
Siemens Healthineers