First experience with Siemens Free.Max 0.55T MRI

Medispace is a provider of fully equipped MRI trailers and CT trailers, providing both modular and hybrid units for hospitals and private clinics. We also provides staffing services.

In the upcoming years, we will expand our fleet with more high-end systems. We want to be the supplier of choice, for diagnostic solutions with added value, as well as constantly searching for new, innovative solutions with an open and entrepreneurial mind to benefit patient care.

Medispace is the first company in the United Kingdom that is using the Siemens Healthineers Magnetom Free.Max 0.55T MRI system for clinical use, it is currently located in one of our modular units outside the Fairfield Independent Hospital, St Helens.

“We are very happy that we were given this opportunity by the Fairfield Independent Hospital to scan NHS and private patients with this ultra-wide bore system, 80 cm, low helium (0.7l) and with low field strength. A big thank you to the management, ceo Cheryl Nolan, and the radiology department manager, Julie Glynn, of the hospital in supporting us with this innovative new MRI system.” said Sander de Mooij, ceo Medispace Holding BV.

“I am continually impressed with the capabilities of this scanner, especially the consistently high image quality, excellent metallic implant imaging and scan times comparable to those acquired with 1.5T systems. The use of clever Deep Resolve AI technology allows this system to be competitive with 1.5T scanning. The versatility of the scanner has been very impressive, we initially planned the unit for mostly routine work (ie, brains, spines and knees etc), however abdomen scans eg dynamic livers and MRCP images have greatly exceeded our expectations. In my personal experience of the unit, there has been a significant decrease in failed examinations, patients are really responding well to the scanner environment and the ultra-wide bore. I hope to formalise these findings through audit, as part of our commitment to clinical excellence and patient and customer satisfaction.

“The nature of the low magnetic field has posed some challenges, in particular knee scanning. Immobilisation has proved difficult due to a lack of a dedicated extremity coil, particularly when patients are in discomfort. However, after meetings with very helpful siemens apps specialists, images have been optimized utilising AI deep resolve effectively. This has solved the teething issues we initially had, and radiologists have since commented that images are more than diagnostic and comparable to 1.5T,” said Ben Verburg, MRI clinical lead, Medispace Diagnostics Limited.

Looking to our experiences so far, we believe that this new MRI system would be a perfect system to be used at community diagnostics hubs that targets specific elective diagnostics.

This news story has been sponsored by the companies concerned and does not represent the views or opinions of RAD Magazine.