Philips, Mayo Clinic using AI to improve cardiac MRI technology

Royal Philips and Mayo Clinic have announced a new collaboration focused on improving cardiac MRI technology and helping more patients gain access to high-quality medical imaging.

Highlighting the important role MRI scans play in the day-to-day diagnosis and treatment of ischemic heart disease, the two companies plan on combining their artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to make MRI scanners easier to use, for example, and more efficient. 

“From the patient perspective, MRI scans can be stressful,” Ioannis Panagiotelis, PhD, business leader of MRI at Philips, said in a statement. “A complex cardiac MRI exam can take over an hour, which is often challenging for patients who suffer from claustrophobia inside the bore of the scanner, find it difficult to lie still or are unable to hold their breath for the required time. By applying AI at every stage of a cardiac MRI exam, we intend to expand access and greatly improve the patient experience, increase departmental efficiency, and deliver the detailed diagnostic information needed for optimal patient outcomes.”

Another goal for the two companies is to explore the potential use of lower-field-strength MRI scanners for patients with implants that may be sensitive to higher magnetic fields.