Mediso Extends the Preclinical Portfolio by 3T and 7T MRI, Via a New Strategic Collaboration

GÖTEBORG, Sweden, Oct. 20, 2014 /CNW/ - Mediso Ltd announced today at the annual congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine the launch of new MRI subsystems with 3 and 7 Tesla field strength. This cryogen-free based technology is to be integrated into the nanoScan pre-clinical multimodality imaging platform.

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Since 2012, fifteen integrated PET/MRI and SPECT/MRI systems based on permanent magnets have been installed successfully. However, to satisfy the need of researchers, Mediso's portfolio has been expanded to include the new, compact, superconducting MRI system with a higher field strength.

"The secret to fast and efficient integration of the new 3T and 7T subsystems, is to retain the existing platform of the nanoScan PET/MRI, preserving these benefits, makes the integration of the systems successful" says István Bagaméry, founder and managing director of Mediso. "This challenging work is supported by long term strategic alliances with companies which have extensive experience in both superconducting magnet technology and in the development of preclinical MR imaging."

Recently, Mediso signed an exclusive agreement with Superconducting Systems Inc, the original developer and manufacturer of high-field cryogen-free MRI magnets since 2011, for the supply of 3T and 7T magnets. "Our unique and patented cryogen-free superconducting magnet technology allows us to build portable magnets with a small footprint, low weight, and very low magnetic stray field, eliminating the need for liquid helium," says Shahin Pourrahimi, founder and president of SSI.

In order to integrate the new magnets into the nanoScan product line, a strategic collaboration agreement has been signed with RS2D, developer of MR imaging systems, to create a new line of MRI Subsystems. "3 Tesla is the most commonly used field strength in clinical research. It represents good compromise between high and low field MRI for a wide variety of applications. Ranging from contrast agent imaging, to high resolution anatomical imaging for oncology and functional imaging required for brain studies" says Rémy Schimpf, founder and president of RS2D. "Moreover it can be upgraded to a higher field system with 7T for high end research purposes."

New MRI subsystems will be offered as standalone MRI or in combination with high-end PET modules, opening the way forward for PET/MRI systems with simultaneous data acquisition capability. These new products complement the existing PET/MRI and SPECT/MRI scanners based on 1T magnet and will be also available as an upgrade package for these systems.

The nanoScan in vivo molecular imaging platform is developed, manufactured, and distributed by Mediso worldwide. It can be viewed at the EANM in Göteborg, Sweden.

For more information, please visit the Mediso web site at http://www.mediso.com.

SOURCE: Mediso Medical Imaging Systems

About the nanoScan product family and Mediso, please contact: Mediso Ltd., H-1022 Budapest, Alsótörökvész 14., Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Press contact: Dr. Gábor Németh, Program Director, Preclinical Imaging, E-mail: [email protected], Mobile: [phone]