Signa Infinity 1.5T: The Foundation For MR Innovation
New MR Platform from GE Medical Systems Combines a Comprehensive
Applications Suite with Flexibility to Accommodate Emerging Technologies
CHICAGO- GE Medical Systems has introduced the Signa Infinity 1.5T MR series, delivering the most comprehensive applications in the industry in a platform designed for easy upgrade to powerful new techniques as they emerge.
New applications, including Fluoro triggered MRA with less than 1 second switching time, comprehensive cardio-vascular imaging, ultra-fast breath-hold abdominal imaging and 3D prostate and 3D CSI brain spectroscopy, drive-new patient referrals.
"The concept behind Signa Infinity is simple," says Dennis Cooke, General Manager of Global MR with GE Medical Systems. "It is a continuous cycle of listening to MR users and developing new techniques and applications that meet real clinical needs. Hardware and software advances provide the most comprehensive capabilities available, with flexibility to enhance performance and add new procedures in the future."
Clinicians who have used the Signa Infinity platform cite its consistent performance across a broad range of applications.
The foundation of Signa Infinity systems is the CXK4 magnet, providing the industry's best magnet homogeneity for consistent image quality, even in demanding applications such as off-center FOV and large FOV fat saturation imaging and in high-resolution 3D brain and prostate spectroscopy. The magnet is also cost-effective, with site-friendly active shielding and a three-year interval between cryogen refills.
"Magnet homogeneity is very important," says Lawrence Tanenbaum, M.D., of Edison Imaging in Edison, N.J. "It produces wonderful image quality in very demanding settings like off-center field-of-view and spectroscopy."
A variety of scalable and upgradeable gradients in Signa Infinity deliver performance matched to users' clinical needs. The shortest TR/TE combinations, coupled with ASSET parallel imaging, improve breath-hold abdominal exams and enable ultra-high-resolution vascular studies.
"ASSET brings a number of advantages," says Tanenbaum. "In patients who can't hold their breath for 20 seconds, we'll take an ASSET angio, which brings it down to about 5 seconds. We allow the patient to freely breathe, and we get spectacular angiographic work."
The shortest EPI Echo Spacing enables faster and improved diffusion-weighted imaging (including high b-values), dynamic studies, and BOLD imaging. The higher Gradient Amplitudes allow high-resolution imaging and enable visualization of small structures like IAC nerves and branches of the biliary tree.
In addition, the breakthrough Dual Gradient System that combines zoom technology with whole-body coverage for the highest gradient utilization rate are standard with every TwinSpeed system – the premium product of the Infinity series. For patient comfort, Quiet Technology reduces acoustic noise by 40 percent without performance compromises.
"What is most impressive about the Infinity TwinSpeed system is the way it delivers the advanced applications at the greatest possible performance, while also doing a full breadth of applications with spectacular image quality," Tanenbaum says.
"We've been doing spectacular 3D brain spectroscopy since the first day the system was installed, and we just acquired prostate spectroscopy. All the mainstream and advanced applications are integrated into the Infinity TwinSpeed system, and they are performing extremely well."
Open RF architecture accommodates the industry's largest selection of high-SNR coils. Users can choose the appropriate surface coils for their clinical and demographic mix. The clinically optimized multi-station “4D” phased-array coils, such as the neuro-vascular coil, torso-pelvic coil and peripheral vascular coil, improve site productivity.
Every Signa Infinity system comes with a complete package of clinical applications software. It offers advanced pulse sequences needed to assess anatomy, morphology, physiology and function for routine MR procedures such as brain, spine and orthopedic imaging, as well as for rapidly growing MR procedures such as abdominal imaging, vascular imaging and cardiac imaging. New and emerging procedures for 3D brain and prostate spectroscopy and BOLD imaging are also available.
"I feel very strongly that by utilizing the Signa Infinity, almost all diagnostic vascular imaging can be performed accurately in the magnet, thereby replacing the need for an invasive catheter based angiogram," says Barry Stein, M.D, of Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn. "And for patient care, that is just tremendous.
"The ability to switch from the fluoro triggered monitoring mode to the 3D acquisition sequence in milliseconds, is extremely impressive and powerful. It provides me a great sense of comfort and confidence to watch the bolus real time and trigger instantly, during the critical step of acquiring the perfect contrast enhanced MRA. Pediatric vascular imaging has now become simple too. This is an extremely beneficial enhancement to my vascular practice."
Signa Infinity combines comprehensive clinical applications with high site productivity. The LX operating platform, widely familiar to technologists, simplifies cross-training with other diagnostic imaging scanners and reduces overall training requirements. Its array processor technology provides rapid reconstruction and true simultaneity for high throughput in all aspects of workflow. The AW workstation processes CT, MR and x-ray images, reducing fixed costs.
The Infinity series is also designed to maximize patient comfort and simplify patient handling. A 60 cm bore opening reduces patient anxiety and accommodates larger patients. Dual-sided controls improve technologist access to patients and simplify management of cables and IV tubes. A docking table feature enhances safety and productivity by enabling patient preparation outside the scan room and quick patient removal in an emergency.
"Users will find the Signa Infinity platform provides functionality for the full spectrum of today's clinical needs," says Cooke. "They will also find a system that can grow with them, easily accommodating the new and more powerful imaging techniques that come out of research and development each year. Sites that adopt the Signa Infinity platform will be well positioned to remain on the leading edge of MR diagnostics for years to come."
About GE Medical Systems
GE Medical Systems is an $8 billion global leader in medical information and technology. Its offerings include networking and productivity tools, clinical information systems, patient monitoring systems, conventional and digital X-ray, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), ultrasound and bone mineral densitometry, positron emission tomography (PET), and nuclear medicine. For more than 100 years, health care providers worldwide have relied on GE Medical Systems for high quality medical technology, services and productivity solutions. Additional information can be found at gemedical.com.
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