Building a 'Quenchless' MRI Machine #medicaltechnology #medicalimaging

Did you know Earth has a helium shortage? Conventional MRI machines require large amounts of helium to cool their magnets to -450°F, and it turns out there just isn’t enough to go around.

That’s where new quenchless – or “helium free operations” – systems come in.

Most MRI machines require up to 2,000 liters of helium to cool their magnets, and helium prices are on the rise. The Philips 1.5T scanner LF Driscoll Healthcare recently installed at Summit Health only requires 7 liters. That makes it…

- More sustainable
- Cost effective
- Better for renovations

So how does that affect construction?

Two words: No vent. For standard MRIs, long vent pipes must be installed to safely vent helium outside the facility. Philips' BlueSeal magnet keeps the gas contained for its entire life span, which means no need for venting, and often cuts construction costs. It’s also much lighter, bringing costs even lower by reducing floor adaptations.

For the powerful magnet in the space, the team at LF Driscoll used all non-ferrous materials, even down to the smallest screws, to ensure zero detection in the magnetic field.

The end result? Excellent MRI diagnostic imaging, and the best of sustainable imaging services for the patients of Summit Health.

Thanks to all involved in this project: Francis Cauffman Architects, Syska Hennessy Group, Urban Chalet, Pure PM, Brian Natale, Daniel Parker, Ankit Modi, Carlie Smith and Andrew Mastin!