Siemens Healthineers Unveils MAGNETOM Altea 1.5 Tesla MRI Scanner

Siemens Healthineers has unveiled a new 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner, the MAGNETOM Altea, at the RSNA conference in Chicago. The device features a generous 70-centimeter bore that will fit some of the largest patients, as well as the company’s BioMatrix technology that helps to prepare for scans based on patient info and speeds up the workflow. In part, this is done using a tool that alleviates the need for placing anatomical landmarks on the patient skin, instead of using the skin itself as the marker. A few dozen “acceleration packages” are provided with the scanner that essentially automates often-performed and repeats scans. For clinics wishing to help children and claustrophobic patients get through scans, an optional in-bore infotainment system that delivers sound and video can be purchased separately.