10 times faster MR liver scan - United Imaging introduced new technologies at ISMRM 2018

• Single-scan multi-contrast technology -- allowing accurate examination of multiple sclerosis and other brain diseases, developed through close collaborations among United Imaging, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) and the PLA General Hospital (PGH).
• Constellation shuttling imaging technology -- allowing new breakthroughs in fast MR imaging.
• New radial cardiac cine technology -- significantly improving cardiac cine MR.

SHANGHAI, June 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 26th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM 2018) was recently held in Paris, France. Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd. (United Imaging), as the only Chinese corporate member of ISMRM, attended this event for the 7^th consecutive year and unveiled a suite of new technologies.

Dr. Qiang "Al" Zhang, Co-President of United Imaging, offered his insight into the future MR: "We believe that the future MR will be faster, easier to use, and provide richer clinical and scientific information. Therefore, United Imaging has been focusing on developing new technologies on fast MR imaging. We are also complementing MR with healthcare IT and medical artificial intelligence to provide more valuable solutions to clinical diagnosis."

Faster: Single-scan multi-contrast technology allowing accurate examination of multiple sclerosis and other brain diseases.

During the conference, a member from the Professor Jaeseok Park team of SKKU gave a presentation on multi-contrast MRI single-scan technology. Thanks to the close collaborations among United Imaging, SKKU, and the PGH, this fast MR scan technology combines constellation shuttling (CS) with multi-contrast single-scan and data sharing technologies for the first time. This technology can achieve an acceleration factor of up to 10, enabling high-resolution and isotropic 3D scanning of a whole brain with 4 image contrasts - T1, T2, FLAIR, and DIR, in only 5 minutes.

As reported by the SKKU presenter: "Scanning speed and image resolution are two conflictive parts in MR scans. With United Imaging, we have jointly developed a multi-contrast imaging technology that uses data sharing technology to accomplish high-speed, high-resolution 3D imaging. Based on this feature, the technology has made major breakthroughs in precise disease diagnosis and human brain cognition and provides a standardized operational basis for medical big data and artificial intelligence. Going forward, we will be exploring more unknown areas based on this powerful scientific research platform. "

Professor Xin Lou from the PGH explained that the multi-contrast single-scan technology is of great significance to the diagnosis of diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic disease that attacks the patient's spinal cord, brain, and optic nerves. It is difficult to differentiate the stationary lesion of MS from the recurrent lesion with conventional 2D scan.

"This technology makes high-resolution 3D cranial imaging a reality. It is able to capture micro lesions in any location, ensuring precise diagnosis and evaluation. It also supports the non-invasive imaging of physiological changes, facilitates the qualitative diagnosis of the disease, monitors the progress of the disease, and evaluates the efficacy of treatment," said Professor Lou.

Constellation Shuttling imaging technology (CS): new breakthroughs in fast MR imaging

During last year's ISMRM, United Imaging announced its Constellation Shuttling (uCS) technology. Over the past year, United Imaging has applied uCS to a wide range of clinical and research applications with in-depth collaborations with a number of top hospitals and research institutes in China. A couple of applications are listed below:

• Abdomen applications

With an acceleration factor up to 16, multi-phase dynamic abdominal MR scans can be acquired without breath-hold, and continuous changes in the tissue signals can be accurately recorded with this "dynamic 3D whole-liver imaging", according to the uCS clinical results reported by the Fudan University-affiliated Zhongshan Hospital in Shanghai, China.

• Bone and joint applications

The MSK application of uCS platform brings a 5-6 times faster scan and 0.5mm³ isotropic imaging, offering doctors refined images with high resolution and finer voxels for accurate diagnosis. Courtesy of Peking University Third Hospital.

Easier to use: Radial cardiac cine technology significantly improving cardiac cine MR.

Dr. Qi Liu, a United Imaging senior MRI scientist, presented a breakthrough in MRI technology at the conference. Cardiac MR imaging is challenged by patient discomfort, motion artifact and poor image quality.

Using its innovative Golden-angle Radial acquisition and Angle-Based echo-Sharing technique (GRABS), United Imaging has achieved significant reduction in image artifacts, enabling more than threefold improvements in signal-to-noise ratio. Clinical trials of GRABS are already being carried out on a 3.0T United Imaging MRI at Wuhan University-affiliated Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan, China. Professor Haibo Xu, Chair of the hospital's Radiology Department, explained, "With this new technique, our cardiac MR imaging is much less sensitive to motion and thus produces a greatly improved image quality. It helps our doctors accurately measure those cardiac function parameters."

UIH night: Insights into MR value maximization

During the ISMRM, United Imaging also hosted a "United Imaging Night" to discuss the future of MR and share the progress of United Imaging with more than 200 MR experts, scholars, and students from across the world.

Dr. Min Xue, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of United Imaging, stated, "As people are paying more attention to their health, MR imaging is facing unprecedented growth opportunities. For the past seven years, United Imaging has successfully developed and launched a series of products and technologies, and has made quality medical care accessible to more patients with innovative medical IT and AI applications. Currently, United Imaging is poised for global markets. We hope that more top talents will join us, help to maximize the values of MR, and together, bring equal healthcare for all!"

About UIH

Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd. (UIH) develops and produces a full portfolio of advanced medical products covering the entire process of imaging diagnosis and treatment, and offers innovative medical IT solutions. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Shanghai, United Imaging has established R&D centers worldwide.

http://www.united-imaging.com/en/home/

SOURCE Shanghai United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.

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