Hitachi develops interventional Airis II

Hitachi Medical Systems America in Twinsburg, OH, has developed an interventional version of its Airis II open MRI scanner. The system has been installed in a specially designed suite at the Neuroscience Institute of the University Hospital in Cincinnati, where radiologists are using it for both conventional imaging procedures as well as MR-guided surgical applications.

Hitachi's interventional package for Airis II uses special software and hardware to support surgical procedures, such as fluoroscopic imaging sequences, open-designed radio-frequency coils, a 20-in LCD monitor located in the imaging suite, and special non-ferromagnetic surgical tools. Hitachi plans to file a 510(k) application for the interventional package and sell it as an option for Airis II, according to Sheldon Schaffer, Hitachi vice president of marketing.

At the Neuroscience Institute, Hitachi has worked with the hospital to develop a special imaging suite for the system, which includes features such as a 20-inch deep pit in which surgeons and radiologists stand while performing imaging procedures. A custom stainless steel lift transports equipment in and out of the surgical pit, while a neurosurgical operating room is adjacent to the imaging suite.