The FDA has cleared a new MRI scanner from Siemens Healthineers with an optional add-on: an in-unit entertainment package that allows the patient to watch TV during a procedure.
Additionally, the Magnetom Lumina 3 tesla scanner features a 70-centimeter open bore system, expanding its clinical applications. Siemens also cites artificial intelligence tools to accelerate workflow, claiming it can perform a whole spine exam 20% faster than conventional MRI systems.
Billed as an “infotainment system,” the scanner’s Innovision TV screen add-on is designed to move with the scanner table and create the illusion of a larger bore, while providing “a unique video experience with excellent sound quality,” according to the company. However, the system is still under development and not available commercially, and “future availability cannot be guaranteed.”
“With the Magnetom Lumina, Siemens Healthineers is transforming care delivery by providing high performance with a strong return on investment,” Jane Kilkenny, VP of magnetic resonance at Siemens Healthineers North America, said in a statement.
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“The patient experience is enhanced with a state-of-the-art infotainment system, lightweight and flexible coils, and new speed applications that enable the provider to get the patient on and off the table faster,” Kilkenny added.
The FDA also cleared Siemens’ Multix Impact digital X-ray system, with a free-floating, flat tabletop for easier patient access. The floor-mounted system includes a touch interface on the X-ray tube, which the company says can allow the technologist to remain at the patient’s side for longer periods of time. In the control room, the technologist can use a camera to monitor the patient’s position, which can reduce repeat imaging and avoid excessive dosing.