Siemens and SurgiVision to develop MRI-guided cardiac
electrophysiology system
10 September 2009
Siemens Healthcare and SurgiVision, Inc. have announced an agreement
for the co-development and commercialization of a real-time magnetic
resonance image (MRI)-guided cardiac electrophysiology (EP) system.
The two companies are collaborating with the University of Utah to
bring to the clinical stage a fully integrated, ground-breaking EP MRI
system that promises to improve conventional catheter-based cardiac
procedures.
“Siemens’ scanner technologies, platform for interactive real-time
guidance, and market leadership in MRI are second to none. By bringing
together Siemens’ capabilities with SurgiVision’s technologies and
expertise in real-time MRI-guided interventions, we are well-positioned
to deliver a fully integrated hardware, software and catheter system
that will provide real-time visualization within an intuitive physician
interface and a procedure that eliminates radiation exposure,” said
Kimble Jenkins, chief executive officer of SurgiVision.
He added, “Our close research collaboration with the University of
Utah rounds out our team with deep clinical expertise and broad research
capabilities.” “We are excited to work with SurgiVision in the
development of these important technologies that have the potential to
significantly improve therapies for patients suffering from cardiac
arrhythmias, in particular atrial fibrillation,” said Walter
Märzendorfer, chief executive officer, Magnetic Resonance, Siemens
Healthcare.
“Both companies have long believed in the power of MR to play a
significant role in EP procedures. Our collective vision is to provide
the physician with the ability to monitor the EP therapy in real-time
and to visualize the lesions,” said Dr. Christine Lorenz, director,
Center for Applied Medical Imaging, Siemens Healthcare and Siemens
Corporate Research, Inc.
"We are refining image-based cardiac ablation procedures using MRI,
which our research indicates has the potential to improve the accuracy
of the ablation, prevent complications, and decrease the number of
repeat procedures," said Dr. Nassir F. Marrouche, electrophysiologist
and director of the University of Utah’s Atrial Fibrillation Program.
In May, University Health Care took another step forward in this
regard by opening an integrated EP-MRI clinical and research lab, which
provides real-time delayed enhancement MRI for treating atrial
fibrillation patients.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting
more than 3 million people in the United States and more than 7 million
people worldwide. Atrial fibrillation is a leading cause of stroke among
people 65 years or older and is associated with increased risk of
morbidity and mortality as well as a reduced quality of life. Treatment
of Atrial fibrillation represents a significant health care burden with
the annual costs estimated at $7 billion.
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