May/June 2026 Issue

Next Phase
By Keith Loria
Radiology Today
Vol. 27 No. 3 P. 20

Intelligence drives speed, access, and precision for MRI.

MRI is evolving rapidly, driven by AI, automation, and more efficient system design. Across the industry, vendors are aligning around a common goal to make MRI faster, more consistent, and more accessible, while at the same time improving diagnostic confidence. These changes are redefining how images are acquired, imaging departments operate, and patients experience the exam.

“Over the past several years, MRI has undergone a meaningful shift from being primarily hardware driven to becoming far more software and intelligence enabled,” says Kelly Londy, MR president and CEO for GE HealthCare. “It is expanding what is clinically possible. Faster exams and more standardized workflows are helping providers manage rising imaging volumes, while improvements in image quality and consistency are supporting more confident diagnoses.”

Additionally, these changes are helping address broader challenges facing radiology, including staffing shortages, technologist burnout, and the need to deliver care in a wider range of settings. That’s why MRI is being reimagined not just as a high-performance imaging modality, but as a more adaptable, scalable, and intelligent system.

The Rise of AI
AI is no longer a single feature or addon, it is now embedded across the entire MRI workflow. From scan planning and acquisition to reconstruction and interpretation, AI is helping automate complex processes and reduce variability.

“It’s taken for granted that it’s used in every single step of the way,” says Katie Grant, PhD, head of MR for North America at Siemens Healthineers. “It’s playing an important role in acquisition, reconstruction, workflow automation, and even operational efficiencies behind the scenes.”

This widespread integration is helping improve both efficiency and patient experience, and the impact is both clinical and practical. “If you only have to be on that scanner for five to 10 minutes, instead of 45, that makes a really big difference,” Grant says, highlighting improvements in patient comfort alongside increased throughput for imaging departments.

Beyond clinical workflow, AI is also being applied behind the scenes to optimize system performance, including energy use and cooling demands. These types of operational efficiencies are becoming increasingly important for health systems looking to balance performance with cost control.

For technologists, that means fewer manual steps and more consistent exam setup, while radiologists see improved image quality and more reliable results. “AI is increasingly embedded across the imaging workflow, helping automate scan planning, accelerate reconstruction, and support technologists in performing complex exams more efficiently, helping radiologists focus on clinical decision-making,” says Ioannis Panagiotelis, PhD, business leader for MR at Philips.

Mark Totina, director of the MR business unit at Canon Medical Systems USA, notes, during the scan, AI helps automate slice positioning and optimize acquisition parameters, improving reproducibility across patients and sites. “It is also being used to reduce motion artifacts and improve signal-to-noise ratio, helping ensure that scans are completed successfully the first time,” he says.

Londy points to neurology as one area that has already experienced a significant difference. “We’re seeing AI play an increasingly important role in interpretation and clinical decision support, particularly in areas like neurology, where demand for MRI continues to grow,” she says.

These capabilities are also helping address workforce challenges. As imaging volumes continue to rise, automation is enabling teams to do more with fewer resources. “AI will be critical in helping teams do more with the resources they have,” Londy says.

New and Improved
Two of Siemens Healthineers’s newest platforms—the Magnetom Flow and Biograph One—highlight how the company is pairing efficiency with advanced clinical capability. Grant points to the Magnetom Flow 70 cm system as a clear example of where MRI is heading, particularly in balancing performance with sustainability and ease of use. The 1.5 T platform is built on Siemens Healthineers’ DryCool magnet technology, requiring a fraction of the helium traditionally used in MRI systems.

Siemens Healthineers is also pushing the boundaries of hybrid imaging with the Biograph One PET/MR system. Recently cleared by the FDA, the platform integrates a high-end 3 T MRI with the company’s advanced PET technology into a single system. “You can do scans on both systems within a 30-minute time period,” Grant says.

GE HealthCare’s latest generation of SIGNA MRI systems reflects a fundamental shift in how MRI is designed and experienced. “That shift is evident in the latest MRI platforms entering the market, where intelligence, performance, and efficiency are increasingly integrated into a single system,” Londy says. “The SIGNA Bolt 3.0 T system is designed for advanced clinical and research environments, combining next-generation gradient and RF technology with AI-driven workflow tools. The system is built to handle demanding applications while delivering faster exams and more consistent image quality.”

Alongside it, SIGNA Sprint Select with Freelium represents a different kind of innovation. The 1.5 T system eliminates the need for liquid helium, simplifying installation, and reducing operational risk while maintaining strong clinical performance.

Canon Medical Systems USA is advancing its portfolio with the Galan Supreme Edition, which introduces a newly developed 3 T magnet and redesigned gradient coil, along with a real-time processing platform. “The system boasts a new ‘made in Canon’ 3 T magnet, a ‘made in Canon’ redesigned gradient coil, and a new ‘real-time platform’ to not only reduce processing time but also adjust and correct eddy currents in real time,” Totina says. That focus on real-time correction is aimed at improving image quality during acquisition, particularly in challenging sequences such as diffusion-weighted imaging.

Philips continues to build on its BlueSeal portfolio, which uses a sealed magnet design to eliminate the need for helium refills. “By sealing a very small amount of helium permanently within the magnet, BlueSeal eliminates the need for helium refills and simplifies installation,” Panagiotelis says.

The company is also advancing software innovations that complement its hardware, including SmartSpeed Precise, which enables faster imaging through AI-based reconstruction, and SmartHeart, which simplifies cardiac MRI through automated planning and motion-robust acquisition.

Enhancing the Patient Experience
Reducing scan time has long been a priority in MRI, but recent advancements are delivering meaningful improvements in that area. AI-based reconstruction techniques are enabling faster acquisitions, while automation is helping streamline exam setup and reduce variability. Totina notes shorter exams are particularly important for patients who struggle with long or complex scans, including pediatric, elderly, and claustrophobic populations. They also allow imaging centers to increase throughput, helping address growing demand.

“The faster a scan is completed, the less likely patient discomfort contributes to image degradation,” Totina says.

That’s why more vendors are focusing on improving the overall patient experience, recognizing that comfort plays a critical role in scan success. For example, GE HealthCare is advancing flexible coil technologies.

“Flexible, lightweight coil technologies are designed to conform more closely to the patient’s anatomy, improving signal quality while enhancing comfort,” Londy says. “These coils are easier to position and can adapt to a wider range of body types, helping reduce setup time and improve efficiency.”

Philips is addressing patient experience from a different angle, focusing on the environment itself. “MRI environments can be loud and sometimes claustrophobic,” Panagiotelis says. “That’s why improving the overall patient experience is an important focus alongside imaging speed.” Through its Ambient Experience platform, Philips uses lighting, visuals, and sound to create a more calming and personalized environment, helping patients remain still during scans.

AI is also playing a role in improving first-time scan success rates by reducing artifacts and minimizing the need for repeat exams.

Flexibility and Fit
Sustainability and operational efficiency are no longer secondary considerations, they are becoming central to how health systems evaluate MRI investments. One of the most significant changes in MRI design is the move to reduce reliance on liquid helium, a finite resource that has historically been essential for system operation. “Everyone’s working toward kind of weaning away from helium,” Grant says.

“Technologies such as sealed magnets and low-helium systems are helping address both environmental concerns and operational challenges. By reducing or eliminating the need for helium refills, these systems also simplify installation and siting requirements, making MRI more accessible.”

Philips’ BlueSeal systems are one example, but the shift toward more sustainable designs is industry-wide, as both GE HealthCare’s Freelium platform and Siemens Healthineers’ drycool technology reflect similar efforts to reduce helium dependence.

“With the introduction of zero-boil-off magnets, this has greatly helped reduce helium consumption,” Totina says, adding that power usage must also be considered. Companies are therefore focusing on broader measures of efficiency, including energy consumption, system uptime, and lifecycle costs.

Beyond sustainability, expanding access to MRI remains a key priority. “These advances only have meaningful impact if they reach more patients,” Panagiotelis says. “More compact systems, simplified installation, and AI-driven workflow improvements are helping bring MRI into outpatient centers and community settings, where demand continues to grow.”

As MRI technology evolves, so too are the ways providers are evaluating and investing in new systems. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, health systems are increasingly looking for platforms that align with specific clinical needs, patient populations, and long-term growth strategies.

Grant notes high-field systems continue to play a critical role in advanced imaging, particularly in areas such as neurology, cardiology, and research. At the same time, 1.5 T systems remain the backbone of the market, valued for their versatility, reliability, and ability to handle a broad range of clinical applications. “When you look at the installed base within the United States, 65% to 70% of our systems are those 1.5 Tesla systems,” Grant says.

Canon is seeing similar trends, with 1.5 T systems continuing to dominate in many settings. “The demand for 1.5 T vs 3 T seemingly remains unchanged over the past few years,” Totina says.

In recent years, providers have shown an increased interest in systems that can be deployed outside of traditional hospital environments. Panagiotelis notes compact designs, simplified installation, and reduced infrastructure requirements are making it easier to bring MRI into outpatient and community settings.

“There is strong demand for systems that integrate AI and workflow automation to help technologists manage growing workloads while maintaining consistent image quality,” Panagiotelis says.

The Road Ahead
MRI is moving toward a more intelligent, automated, and accessible future—one shaped by the convergence of software, hardware, and system design. Looking ahead, vendors expect AI applications to continue expanding, with a growing emphasis on end-to-end workflow optimization and, eventually, more autonomous imaging systems.

“I think we will continue to see growth in AI across the imaging chain, the whole patient experience chain,” Grant says.

That momentum is expected to drive continued advances in clinical applications, particularly in neurology, oncology, and cardiology, where MRI is already playing an increasingly important role. As these technologies continue to evolve, MRI is becoming not just more powerful, but more practical, positioning the modality to play an even larger role in the future of health care.

— Keith Loria is a freelance writer based in Oakton, Virginia. He is a frequent contributor to Radiology Today.