2023-12-06 21:04:10
Published6. December 2023, 22:04
Health: Swiss first: an AI-assisted MRI arrives at the CHUV
The CHUV in Lausanne is equipped with a state-of-the-art device assisted by artificial intelligence. The result is many advantages and benefits for patients.
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The new MRI machine at the CHUV
@Alexandre Questioner
Upon delivery of the machine, which is twice as light as a standard system.
@CHUV, Gilles Weber
Professor Alban Denys, head of the Radiodiagnostic and Interventional Radiology Department at CHUV
@CHUV/Gilles Weber
Artificial intelligence is at the heart of a state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device recently purchased by the CHUV, the University of Lausanne and the Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM). The machine, a first in Switzerland, is smaller, half as heavy as traditional MRIs and half as energy-intensive. It must be used for research purposes by around ten teams who will evaluate its potential for patient diagnosis.
So what’s special regarding this “low-field” MRI? “The higher the magnetic field, the better the images,” explains Professor Alban Denys, head of the Radiodiagnostic and Interventional Radiology Department at CHUV. However, with this state-of-the-art device, the magnetic field is four times less intense than with current machines. “But thanks to artificial intelligence, we are bringing this low-field machine closer to high-field machines.” In short: the weak magnetic field of the device is compensated for by AI image processing.
More economical
Another advantage: this MRI is more economical. “The costs of purchase, installation and use are lower, which makes it more accessible in low-income countries and also generally helps to reduce health costs,” explains the professor.
The specialist further assures that it is more comfortable for patients thanks to a wider opening. This will reduce children’s anxiety and claustrophobic people’s stress during exams. This particularity also opens the way to interventions guided by MRI, “because we can guide tools with the hands inside the machine, which we cannot do on a device with a high magnetic field”, concludes the teacher.
Who might benefit from this revolutionary MRI in the future?
This “low-field” MRI might be very useful for young patients with cystic fibrosis who need to undergo regular radiological examinations. Because it will guarantee monitoring of respiratory capacities while protecting patients from X-rays emitted by conventional scanners, explains the CHUV. Patients suffering from congenital heart diseases might also greatly benefit from this new technology. MRI should make their heart examinations more time-efficient and less dependent on the presence of specialized personnel. Finally, advances in the field of fetal magnetic resonance imaging are also expected, particularly in the heart and brain.
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