From the November 2022 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Bruker debuts 7 Tesla and 9.4 Tesla MR and PET/MR magnets
Bruker unveiled its 7 Tesla and 9.4 Tesla conduction-cooled Maxwell magnets in May for high-field sensitivity and resolution in advanced preclinical MR and PET/MR research scanners.
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Designed for its BioSpec Maxwell preclinical MR system, the magnets are follow-ups to the BioSpec Maxwell 3 Tesla model and do not require liquid helium or nitrogen refills. Bruker expects them to be valuable for producing sharp images from noninvasive in vivo imaging on small rodents in preclinical research. It says the scans will have high spatial and temporal resolution and help in assessing miniscule areas in high-resolution anatomical imaging of the mouse brains or when performing function MR.
Making their debut at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) 2022 conference, the two MR components utilize high-performance technology in easy-to-use systems to provide researchers with a range of preclinical applications. Siting, installation and maintenance is also simplified, as there is typically no building modification needed.
“The pharmaceutical industry is experiencing pressure to bring new drugs to market faster and more cost-effectively. Contract research organizations are striving for best-in-class solutions in a small footprint. Our new Biospec Maxwell MRI series does not require specialized lab infrastructure and offers compact, lightweight and easy-to-install systems for preclinical MR or PET/MR studies,” said Dr. Wulf Jung, president of Bruker BioSpin’s preclinical imaging division, in a statement.
The BioSpec Maxwell preclinical MR system is a liquid cryogen filling-free MR system that is upgradable with an MR CryoProbe, which increases sensitivity, and with a state-of-the-art PET module.
Bruker’s preclinical imaging systems are for research use only.
Steven Ford
Possible problems with this study
March 08, 2023 12:47
The study was partially sponsored by the manufacturer of the ultra low field MRI and some of the physicians were investors in that company. This alone does not mean that the study is invalid.
The study you cite DOES NOT show that the low field MRI is nearly as effective as high field MRI in diagnosing stroke. Most importantly, the patients imaged in the ULF scanner had already been diagnosed with a stroke before imaging a second time with the low field machine. A more rigorous study would use a double-blind process.
Secondly, some of the patients were previously imaged using CT, not MRI. This is the very definition of an apples to oranges comparison.
The MRI scanner in question has limited resolution compared with virtually every MRI in the USA, even 20-year old scanners. It cannot image very small tumors or bleeds.
Finally, the study states that about 80% of the strokes were correctly identified. A more accurate headline would be 'ULF MRI leads to correct diagnosis 80% of the time' or 'ULF MRI Better Than Nothing'. More critically but more accurately, 'ULF MRI is a Poor Alternative if You Have Another Choice'.
A more meaningful study would compare low-cost CT scans to the use of this innovative and clever scanner, because they are more readily available and less costly.
This study has anecdotal value.
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