Siemens Launches New Open MR System
Siemens Healthineers has launched a new 0.35 Tesla open MR system, aiming to improve patient comfort and expand MRI access. The lower-field system is designed for settings where traditional high-field strength MRI systems are not feasible, potentially opening new market segments for the company.
- The specific Siemens 0.35T open MRI is the MAGNETOM C!, a system built around a C-shaped permanent magnet that offers 270° accessibility. This design is particularly advantageous for claustrophobic, pediatric, and bariatric patients, addressing key patient comfort and access challenges seen in traditional high-field, closed-bore systems. - A key operational advantage of this low-field system is its reduced siting requirements and lower operating costs compared to high-field MRI. The MAGNETOM C! can be installed in a room as small as 325 sq. ft. and does not require cryogens for cooling, which significantly impacts the total cost of ownership—a critical factor for outpatient centers and mobile imaging providers. - The market for open and low-field MRI includes competitors like Hitachi, a company noted as a specialist in open MRI scanners with low operating costs, and Philips, which also offers a range of open MRI systems. The renewed interest in lower-field systems is driven by their cost-effectiveness and improved image quality through advanced software and AI-based image reconstruction. - This type of system is well-positioned to capitalize on the significant shift of imaging services from hospitals to outpatient settings. Approximately 40% of all radiology volume is now performed in outpatient imaging centers, driven by lower costs, patient convenience, and payer initiatives to move procedures out of the hospital. - Payers are a major driver of the outpatient imaging trend, with Medicare reimbursement for MRI having fallen significantly over the past two decades when adjusted for inflation. This downward pressure on reimbursement favors the lower acquisition and operational costs of systems like the 0.35T open MRI, making them a financially viable option for independent diagnostic testing facilities (IDTFs). - While 0.35T systems provide strong diagnostic capabilities for many routine neurological, orthopedic, and whole-body applications, there is a trade-off in image resolution compared to high-field systems. However, for many common outpatient procedures, the image quality is sufficient, and the system offers advantages in imaging near metallic implants and for patients where high-field systems are contraindicated.
