August 3, 2015 — Biotronik announced CE approval of 3 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning with exclusion zone for its two latest generations of pacemakers. The company now offers both implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers approved for 3T scans.
Roughly 20-30 percent of all MRI scanners installed worldwide are 3T. However, sales of these are growing three times faster than those of 1.5 T scanners.
"The benefits of 3T MRI scanners are clear," commented Maurizio Lunati, M.D., Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy. "3T scanners offer superior image quality, as well as a shorter scan time compared to a 1.5T machine. Patients with ProMRI devices enabling 3T scans benefit from a shorter time spent in the sometimes uncomfortable MRI machine, while doctors benefit from clearer images to diagnose conditions. Reduced scan times can improve clinical workflow, granting more patients access to this vital diagnostic tool."
To help physicians keep track of which ProMRI devices and leads are approved in their own region, new functions have been added to the ProMRI Systems Check website. ProMRI System Check allows physicians to verify whether a patient's individual Biotronik device and lead combination is MR conditional, and under which scanning conditions. It is now available in five languages.
For more information: www.biotronik.com
November 21, 2024 
