Leiden and Utrecht Universities choose Philips 7 Tesla MRI scanner for
advanced neurological disease research
8 June 2006 Eindhoven, Netherlands. Leiden University Medical Centre
and University Medical Centre Utrecht have each awarded a contract to Royal
Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) to supply a Philips Achieva 7.0T
magnetic resonance whole body research system. The contracts are part of
project to establish a Dutch national institute focused on 7.0 Tesla MR
technology to improve understanding of neurological diseases, such as
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis.
The two new systems, the first 7.0T MR systems in the Netherlands, will
support the establishment of the national Virtual Institute for Seven Tesla
Applications (VISTA), a partnership with Dutch universities for the
exploration of the clinical benefits of ultra high-field magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI). The Philips Achieva 7.0T is capable of producing an
excellent level of imaging detail allowing clinical researchers to improve
their understanding of physiology and cognitive processes of the brain and
of neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy and
Multiple Sclerosis, with excellent accuracy. Researchers at participating
Dutch universities and Philips Medical Systems will collaborate with VISTA
to develop ideas and share information through annual workshops, forums,
panels and internet communications that will further advance applications of
this new medical technology.
“The advanced capability of the Philips Achieva 7.0Tesla MR research
system will enable us to increase our knowledge and understanding of some of
medicine’s most challenging areas,” said Peter Luyten, senior MR researcher
at the University Medical Centre Utrecht. “Although ultra high-field MR
research is still in its early stages, it is already clear that it could
help provide significant insights into the diagnosis, intervention and
treatment of degenerative neurological diseases. And ultimately many new
applications outside the brain will become possible by means of this new
technology platform as well.” “Our intention is that VISTA will become a
global centre of excellence for ultra high-field MR research, capitalizing
on expertise from within the Netherlands as well as attracting researchers
from across the world that will lead to innovations that will have direct
clinical benefits,” continued Luyten. “Dedicated research institutes like
VISTA will give researchers access to MR technology that has previously been
unattainable and will help build on the promising results that this
technology has already shown,” said Dr. Jacques Coumans, PhD, vice president
global marketing, MR, for Philips Medical Systems. “Improvements in our
knowledge of 7.0T MR technology will also have benefits for all of Philips
MR systems, including our Achieva 3.0 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla clinical MR
systems, through the trickle-down effect of ultra high-field gradient and RF
innovations and by helping improve results and discover new applications for
these lower Tesla systems.” Philips is currently the only company to have
a fully operational 7.0T MR whole body research system for clinical research
in a corporate environment at its facility in Cleveland. It is also working
in partnerships with some of the world’s leading medical research centers on
the development of the Philips 7.0T MR program, including Ohio State
University and Vanderbilt University in the USA, the University of
Nottingham in the UK and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH
Zurich). This program is focused on pushing the development of 7.0T
innovations, in partnership with researchers and clinicians, and migrating
these advances to routine clinical applications. To top
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