Siemens Healthineers and Cook Medical have entered into an MRI partnership, aiming to create the first purpose-built interventional suite using the scanning technology.
The companies claim their completed, ionic radiation-free interventional MRI (iMRI) suites will streamline functions including real-time imaging, thereby making teamwork seamless in areas including interventional oncology and structural heart procedures.
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According to the companies, the finalised suites will be the first unified MRI and interventional environments that have been purpose-built.
As a full spectrum solution, the companies said their iMRI will encompass guidance around suite planning, specialised training, and ongoing clinical support. Siemens鈥� MAGNETOM Free.XL MRI scanner will serve as the centrepiece of the suites, which will also come equipped with MRI-specific tool such as lesion localisation devices and vascular access needles to which Cook has expertise in manufacturing.
Peter Polverini, vice president of Cook Medical鈥檚 iMRI division commented. 鈥淏y merging the top-tier MRI systems of Siemens Healthineers with Cook鈥檚 advanced devices and expertise, we’re unlocking high-precision treatments that elevate patient care and empower clinicians.鈥�
IMRI suites effectively involve incorporating MRI scanners into rooms used for surgical or endovascular cardiac interventions. While institutions such as King鈥檚 College, London have developed safe iMRI suites, , and their development until now has been relatively limited. Siemens and Cook鈥檚 purpose-built version would aim to overcome these challenges.
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By GlobalDataAndreas Schneck, head of magnetic resonance at Siemens Healthineers commented: 鈥淢RI in the interventional suite has always been a concept with tremendous clinical potential, but it has also faced significant barriers.鈥�
Challenges in iMRI suite development include maintaining MRI safety in the presence of a wider variety of equipment than typically found in a diagnostic unit and safely managing staff unfamiliar with the MRI environment, without compromising the safety and practicality of a given procedure.
Schneck continued: 鈥淎t Siemens Healthineers, we are committed to breaking those barriers to unlock new clinical opportunities and advance patient care.鈥�
The partnership comes after Siemens, who occupies a 36.8% share in the MRI system market globally, as per a GlobalData market model, won US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for a helium-sealed 1.5T Magnetom Flow.Ace MRI scanner in June 2025. The new model is designed to dramatically reduce the use of helium coolant.
