Siemens Healthineers has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its MAGNETOM Cima.X 3 Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) whole-body scanner.

The device features what it claims to be the ‘strongest gradient system’, enabling the visualisation of smaller structures and faster image capture.

It comprises Gemini Gradients with an amplitude of 200mT/m and a slew rate of 200 teslas per metre per second, which are 2.5 times stronger than the whole-body MR gradients currently on the market from Siemens Healthineers.

This advancement is expected to aid clinicians in studying neurodegenerative diseases by enhancing the visibility of microstructures that are not clear on traditional MR scans.

Furthermore, the new Physiologging feature of the MAGNETOM Cima.X provides precise, time-stamped physiological data, such as heart and respiratory rates, which is crucial for functional brain imaging.

This feature allows clinicians to correlate brain activation with the physiological activity of the patient.

Additionally, the scanner’s Open Recon platform enables custom image reconstruction algorithms to be run directly on the scanner.

MAGNETOM Cima.X also includes several features previously found on other Siemens Healthineers MR scanners such as BioMatrix technology, which adjusts for patient variability to reduce rescans and enhance productivity.

Some of the other features of the MRI scanner device include the Deep Resolve reconstruction technology, powered by artificial intelligence, to accelerate MR scans by up to 70% for brain scans; and myExam Companion workflow solution which uses AI to assist radiologic technologists in navigating MR exams.

Siemens Healthineers North America magnetic resonance vice-president Katie Grant said: “With the FDA clearance of the MAGNETOM Cima.X, Siemens Healthineers proudly offers the scientific and medical communities a whole-body 3T MR scanner that can deliver penetrating new insights into oncologic, cardiac, and neurodegenerative disease.”