GE Announces Groundbreaking MR Scanner Featuring Exceptional Patient Experience, Compact Design and High Resolution Images

  • Innovative design makes technology surprisingly more patient-friendly compared to traditional MR systems with patients feeling on average four times more comfortable1
  • Technology is smaller for easier installation, produces high quality images to aid in confident diagnosis and offers a low total cost of ownership
  • Only targeted anatomy – an arm or leg – goes inside the scanner potentially improving comfort for patients including those with claustrophobia
  • GE healthymagination announces partnership with 2010 PGA TOUR Player of the Year Jim Furyk to educate consumers about new technology and injury prevention

The surprising new high-tech extremity MR scanner from GE healthymagination requires only an arm or a leg. (Photo: GE)

FAIRFIELD, Conn.--()--(NYSE: GE) – GE today announced the launch of the Optima* MR430s, a new specialty scanner with breakthrough technology that delivers precise imaging with exceptional comfort and the 1.5T image quality radiologists require. The Optima MR430s is an extreme leap forward in MR imaging because only the targeted anatomy – whether it’s an arm or a leg – goes inside the system. It is the latest in a series of innovative health technologies that provide better health to more people through GE’s healthymagination initiative.

“GE's Optima MR430s extremity scanner stands out because it ensures high quality images and a more refined, comfortable MR experience for those who have suffered injuries to an arm, leg or even a wrist or ankle,” said Dr. William B. Morrison, Director of Musculoskeletal Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. “This scanning technology helps eliminate anxiety and discomfort often associated with full-body MR technology.”

Surprising in More Ways Than One: Optima MR430s

The Optima MR430s is a musculoskeletal MR system that delivers precise imaging of the arm, including elbow, wrist and hand, or the leg, including knee, ankle and foot, allowing the patient to recline on a comfortable padded and adjustable chair with only the targeted anatomy positioned in the system. The innovative design is patient-friendly and may provide greater peace of mind, especially for those who have trouble laying still or feel uncomfortable with a traditional MR system. And, because a more comfortable patient is less prone to accidental movement during the exam, images are likely to be even more clear and consistent.

“Greater patient comfort with uncompromised image quality is at the heart of the design of this system,” says Jim Davis, general manager for GE Healthcare’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging business. “By making MR accessible to more patients and providing imaging that’s both advanced and cost-effective, the Optima MR430s provides a remarkably improved experience for patients.”

The Optima MR430s can help alleviate the demand on a hospital’s full-body scanner. As an addition to a busy radiology department, the system can relieve patient backlogs to boost department efficiency, offering healthcare providers a smart investment at a low total cost of ownership. A small footprint allows for easy siting and lower installation costs, while the lightweight magnet fits through standard doors.

Renowned Golfer Jim Furyk Educates About Optimal Diagnosis and Performance

In addition, GE healthymagination today announced the launch of a partnership with renowned golfer and 2010 PGA TOUR player of the year Jim Furyk to educate people about injury prevention and the importance of optimal diagnosis using MR technology when injuries do happen. This is part of GE’s recently announced partnership with the PGA TOUR to showcase healthymagination innovations – on the course, through various media activities, and for audiences watching at home.

Having struggled with a wrist injury throughout the course of his career, Furyk understands the need to secure a quick and accurate diagnosis to return to the field of play as soon as possible. In partnership with the GE healthymagination initiative, he is using his firsthand knowledge to educate serious athletes and weekend warriors about the importance of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle to prevent injuries, as well as the importance of new, innovative technology, such as the Optima MR430s, that can help when injuries do happen.

“GE is delighted to have partnered with Jim Furyk on this important educational campaign,” said Mike Barber, vice president of healthymagination. “The Optima MR430s offers patients greater comfort and excellent image quality, while Jim Furyk reminds people of the importance of preventing and caring for injuries. Today’s announcements represent an important step forward in our healthymagination commitment to deliver better health to more people.”

To learn more, visit www.gehealthcare.com/extremelysurprising or www.healthymagination.com. Follow us on Twitter @GEHealthy or visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/healthymagination.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company taking on the world’s toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leader, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit www.gehealthcare.com.

About GE’s healthymagination Initiative

Launched in May 2009, GE’s healthymagination initiative is focused on four critical needs: low-cost technology; healthcare IT; innovation accessible to all; and consumer-driven healthcare. GE has committed that by 2015 it will:

  • Invest $3 billion in research and development to launch at least 100 innovations that will help deliver better care to more people at lower cost.
  • Provide $2 billion in financing and $1 billion in technology to bring healthcare information technology to rural and underserved areas.
  • Reduce the cost of procedures that use GE technologies and services by 15 percent and develop products tailored to underserved regions of the world.
  • Reach 100 million more people every year with services and technologies essential for health.

More information at www.healthymagination.com.

1 According to Radiology: Volume 251: Number 3—June 2009 Study measured relative comfort between conventional 1.5T system and 1.0T extremity scanner. “Four times more comfortable” as measured by confinement and immobilization. *Trademark of General Electric Company

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6660685&lang=en

Contacts

GE
Stacey Tank, 203-373-2727
Cell: 203-556-6990
stacey.tank@ge.com

Contacts

GE
Stacey Tank, 203-373-2727
Cell: 203-556-6990
stacey.tank@ge.com