GE Healthcare Revolutionizes the MR Patient Scanning Experience with Silent Scan

Today at RSNA 2012, GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) introduced the 510(k) pending Silent Scan*, a revolutionary technology designed to address one of the most significant impediments to patient comfort – excessive acoustic noise generated during an MR scan. Conventional MR scanners can generate noise in excess of 110 dBA (decibels) levels, roughly equivalent to rock concerts and requires ear protection. GE’s exclusive Silent Scan technology is designed to reduce MR scanner noise to near ambient (background) sound levels and thus can improve a patient’s MR exam experience.

"Silent Scan is a huge breakthrough for the MR industry and for patients around the world,” says Richard Hausmann, president and CEO, GE Healthcare MR. "Excessive acoustic noise is a major cause of patient discomfort during MR scans and GE is addressing that with Silent Scan, a new MR advanced application and a major innovation in the healthcare industry. GE is very serious about Humanizing MR and making its MR systems patient-friendly, safe, and without compromise.”

Historically, acoustic noise mitigation techniques have focused on insulating components and muffling sound as opposed to treating the noise at the source. With Silent Scan, acoustic noise is essentially eliminated by employing a new advanced 3D acquisition and reconstruction technique called Silenz, in combination with GE Healthcare’s proprietary design of the high-fidelity MR gradient and RF system electronics. Silent Scan is designed to eliminate the noise at its source; with Silent Scan, patients will experience a more relaxing scanning environment.

Silent Scan is one way in which GE MR is Humanizing MR and putting patients first. GE’s MR systems deliver superb image quality and an optimized patient experience, balancing caring design with insightful technology. Another example of this on display at RSNA is the Optima MR430s 1.5T extremity scanner, which allows patients to undergo an MR exam while sitting in a chair, with Image Quality equivalent to a traditional whole body MR system.

*Silent Scan is 510(k) pending at U.S. FDA and not available for sale.

GE Healthcare at RSNA 2012

Each year in Chicago, the conference of the Radiological Association of North America (RSNA) provides a forum for showcasing the latest innovations in medical imaging. If you are attending the conference, please visit GE Healthcare at booth number 5433 in McCormick Place south hall. Throughout the week of the event, GE Healthcare will distribute news and information using these digital platforms:

• Digital press kit: newsroom.gehealthcare.com/press-kits/ge-healthcare-at-rsna-2012
• Twitter: @GEHealthcare and hashtag #GEWorks
• YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/gehealthcare
• Flickr: www.flickr.com/people/gehealthcare
• Instagram: instagram.com/generalelectric

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About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

Our "healthymagination” vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on increasing access and improving quality and affordability around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com. For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com.