GE Healthcare has unveiled the Silent Scan MRI for the Indian market. The technology is designed to address one of the most significant impediments to patient comfort of excessive acoustic noise generated during an MR scan.

Conventional MR scanners can generate noise in excess of 110 dBA (decibels) levels, roughly equivalent to rock concerts. GE’s exclusive Silent Scan technology is designed to reduce MR scanner noise to near ambient (background) sound levels and thus can improve a patient’s MR exam experience.

“Silent Scan is a huge breakthrough for the MR industry and for patients around the world. Excessive acoustic noise is a major cause of patient discomfort during MR scans and GE is addressing that with Silent Scan, a new MR advanced application and a major innovation in the healthcare industry. GE is very serious about Humanizing MR and making its MR systems patient-friendly, safe, and without compromise,” said Dr Richard Hausmann, president and CEO, GE Healthcare MR.

Noise is one of the major complaints from patients who undergo MRI scan. Historically, medical manufacturers have addressed the noise issue by muffling it using a combination of acoustic dampening material or performance degradation to reduce the noise level. Two years ago, GE engineers initiated their quest to reduce noise during an MRI scan. They developed a software - a radically new type of 3D MR acquisition, in combination with proprietary high-fidelity gradient and RF system electronics, and the noise is not merely dampened, it is virtually eliminated at the source.

“We have over 200 engineers and scientists in India dedicated for developing MR technologies, both software and hardware,  Working together with our engineering team in USA, we developed this new, novel approach of reducing the noise of MRI from a hammering sound to a mere whisper,” said Dr Karthik Kuppusamy, director, MRI, GE Healthcare South Asia. “Over 50 per cent of all software for GE Healthcare equipment from around the world is developed in India,” he added.

Silent Scan helps reduce anxiety and can give more peace of mind to patients, especially elderly, paediatric, and claustrophobic patients. With Silent Scan, patients and families will be able to experience a more relaxing scanning environment even being able to converse during the scan. Silent Scan is available on new as well as existing Discovery MR750w with GEM and Optima MR450w with GEM systems.