7-T MRI Research Scanner Launched at ISMRM 2015

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 08 Jun 2015

A major imaging vendor has announced that their new 7-T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) research scanner has been cleared for clinical use.

The scanner is the world's first human ultra-high field research scanner ready for future clinical use. The core of the ultra-high field scanner is actively shielded and has a magnet that is 50% lighter than previous systems, and features zero Helium boil-off. The system can be used both for research and for specific clinical protocols.

Image: Using Siemens 7-T Imaging Enables Imaging of the Thin Layer of Cartilage and the Spherical Shape of the Hip (Photo Courtesy of Erwin L. Hahn Institute for MRI, Essen, Germany).

The Magnetom Terra system was launched by Siemens Healthcare (Erlangen, Germany) at the 2015 annual International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM; Toronto, Canada) meeting.

The scanner has an expanded Radio Frequency (RF) architecture with up to 64 receive and 8 transmit channels. The system has the same software platform as Siemens’ 3-Tesla MRI systems. Siemens plans US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CE Marking authorizations for selected neurological and musculoskeletal MRI applications of the scanner.

Dr. Bernd Ohnesorge, CEO Magnetic Resonance at Siemens Healthcare, said, "I am extremely proud to announce the introduction of our new 7-Tesla scanner Magnetom Terra. It is the first 7-Tesla MRI scanner fully designed and manufactured by Siemens, with a completely new designed 7-Tesla magnet in its core. Now, Siemens is the only company to manufacture a complete human ultra-high field MRI system fully in-house."

Related Links:
Siemens Healthcare
ISMRM