Real-Time MRI-Guided Cardiac Electrophysiology Ablation Procedures to Benefit Arrhythmia Patients

A new collaboration between GE HealthCare (Chicago, IL, USA) and Imricor Medical Systems (Burnsville, MN USA) will enable cardiac electrophysiology (EP) ablation procedures guided by real-time MRI, using Imricor’s catheters and other disposable devices, to be performed on the GE HealthCare MRI platform.

Both companies have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate for interfacing Imricor’s Advantage-MR EP Recorder/Stimulator and Northstar-MR 3D Mapping System with GE HealthCare MRI scanners. Imricor’s short-term goal is to allow sites with GE HealthCare MRI systems to participate in the upcoming “Vision-MR Ablation of Atrial FLutter” or VISABL-AFL clinical trial in the US and “Vision-MR Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia” or VISABL-VT clinical trial in Europe. The company’s overall goal is to broaden in the choices physicians and hospitals have when choosing an MRI platform for their iCMR labs.

Image: GE HealthCare and Imricor have entered into a collaboration in interventional cardiac MRI (Photo courtesy of Imricor)

“Imricor’s innovative technology has the potential to bring significant benefit to a large number of cardiac arrhythmia patients,” said Anja Brau, PhD, General Manager, GE HealthCare MR Clinical Solutions and Research Collaborations. “GE HealthCare has a long-standing history of applying MR to therapy guidance and control; we would be pleased to add Imricor’s capabilities to provide our customers with more options to treat their patients.”

“We are thrilled at the prospect of expanding the portfolio of MRI scanners that support Advantage-MR and Northstar-MR technology,” said Steve Wedan, Imricor’s CEO and Chair. “The addition of GE HealthCare will give physicians and hospitals significantly more flexibility to use the MRI hardware of their choice, when providing real-time iCMR ablations for their patients. We are grateful to our existing customers who have embraced our real-time iCMR ablation technology, and look forward to making the benefits of this technology even more widely available.”

Related Links:
GE HealthCare 
Imricor Medical Systems