STI SuperSensor cleared by FDA

A high-temperature superconducting MRI surface coil received Food and Drug Administration 510(k)clearance last month. The product, SuperSensor, is manufacturedby Superconducting Technologies (STI) of Santa Barbara, CA (SCAN5/4/94). SuperSensor can improve the quality of low-field MRIby up to 100%, according to the company. STI is pursuing OEM agreementswith scanner vendors to market the product.

SuperSensor is most effective with low-field MRI scanners,where STI has found that it can improve image quality by 150%to 180%. The coil is less effective at higher field strengths.With 0.3-tesla machines, SuperSensor improves image quality by50% to 70%. It can also improve image quality on 0.5-telsla machines.SuperSensor's price will be in the $10,000 to $20,000 range.