RSNA: GE launches MR-Touch
GE Healthcare introduced MR-Touch, a visual palpation technology that uses low frequency sound waves in combination with MRI to measure tissue elasticity, at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago earlier this month.
Based on technology invented at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and licensed to GE, MR Touch extends the principles of palpation with a precise, non-invasive way to evaluate tissue stiffness. Recently FDA cleared, MR-Touch provides clinicians with a way to detect changes in liver tissue, GE said.
“Today we know that abnormal tissue stiffness can actually be a cause of some disease processes,” said Richard Ehman, MD, professor of radiology and leader of the team that developed MR elastography at Mayo. “However, many regions of the body are not accessible to palpation and conventional diagnostic imaging technologies do not allow physicians to assess tissue stiffness. The introduction of MR elastography as a product by GE is important as it will also allow physicians to explore new applications diagnostic imaging technology.”
According to the company, MR-Touch will be commercially available with the Optima MR450w 1.5T system and requires a software upgrade along with a hardware accessory to a conventional MR scanner.
Based on technology invented at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and licensed to GE, MR Touch extends the principles of palpation with a precise, non-invasive way to evaluate tissue stiffness. Recently FDA cleared, MR-Touch provides clinicians with a way to detect changes in liver tissue, GE said.
“Today we know that abnormal tissue stiffness can actually be a cause of some disease processes,” said Richard Ehman, MD, professor of radiology and leader of the team that developed MR elastography at Mayo. “However, many regions of the body are not accessible to palpation and conventional diagnostic imaging technologies do not allow physicians to assess tissue stiffness. The introduction of MR elastography as a product by GE is important as it will also allow physicians to explore new applications diagnostic imaging technology.”
According to the company, MR-Touch will be commercially available with the Optima MR450w 1.5T system and requires a software upgrade along with a hardware accessory to a conventional MR scanner.