U.K. firm supplies Chinese MR makers

Resonance Instruments has struck an agreement that puts the Witney, U.K., company in a position to supply 95% of the MR control consoles being integrated by Chinese manufacturers. The agreement with Shenzhen AnKe High Technology follows similar agreements with Xingaoyi, Wandong Medical, and several smaller manufacturers. Together these agreements will result in Resonance Instruments delivering about 90 of its DRX digital MRI consoles to China in 2003. The units will be used to control permanent magnet MR systems up to 0.35T. Chinese MR manufacturers are competing with imported and locally manufactured systems from GE, Siemens, Hitachi, and other multinational OEMs.

Climbing sales of relatively low cost permanent magnet MR systems in China are being fueled by an expanding healthcare market, economic growth, and the availability of raw materials for magnet manufacturing, according to the U.K. firm. Although Chinese manufacturers can produce their own magnets, gradients, software, and patient handling equipment, they are not yet capable of manufacturing control consoles or radio-frequency and gradient amplifiers to the required specifications.