Philips showcases newest MR-based innovations and the value of collaboration at ISMRM 2017

AMSTERDAM, April 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA) today announced that it will feature the company's latest Magnetic Resonance (MR) solutions and neurology-focused clinical applications at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine's (ISMRM) 25th annual meeting and exhibition in Hawaii. As a part of its newest suite of magnetic resonance (MR)-based software applications dedicated to neurology, Philips will be showcasing MultiBand SENSE, which was developed in collaboration with several partners, including the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont.

At ISMRM, Philips will demonstrate innovations designed to extend MR's valuable role across the health continuum, touching more lives with the technology that sheds light on intricate anatomical structures and helps clinicians to make confident diagnostic decisions. Through continued collaboration with its customers, Philips is designing imaging and visualization technologies to support patient-personalized, efficient care, with the aim to make MR solutions more accessible [1] and definitive [2].

Among Philips' newest neurology software applications is MultiBand SENSE, a clinical application that allows simultaneous acquisition of multiple slices in the brain in fMRI and diffusion imaging. This capability enables accelerated neuro-functional and diffusion scans at high speed and high resolution with virtually no impact on SNR [3], providing radiologists with the option to increase coverage or resolution without increasing scan time. MultiBand SENSE leverages Philips' unique dStream digital platform on the Ingenia 3T family of MRI systems.

Philips' MultiBand SENSE, developed in collaboration with the University of Vermont among other partners, has played a vital role in the university's participation in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study [4], the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. Co-led by Professor of Psychiatry Hugh Garavan, PhD, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Alexandra Potter, PhD, the UVM site is one of 21 sites participating in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study, which aims to track the biological and behavioral development of approximately 11,500 children through adolescence into young adulthood.

Richard Watts, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology and an MRI physicist at the University of Vermont, worked with Philips in development of MultiBand SENSE and has used the application in the protocols of their research to increase speed. "Specific advanced neuroimaging protocols had to be met for a site to be eligible for this large-scale study, and Philips worked with us to make that possible," said Watts. "With Philips' MultiBand SENSE, we are imaging six times faster, with the possibility to go up to eight, while still maintaining quality imaging results, which is key to meeting the high specifications of the study."

"By empowering clinicians with leading-edge technologies like MultiBand SENSE for image acquisition and visualization, Philips is helping to deliver personalized, more confident answers to the most complex diagnostic questions," said Eric Jean, Senior Vice President and General Manager BIU Magnetic Resonance, Philips. "Without a close relationship with our customers, our innovations could not be as tightly aligned with real-world clinical and research needs – they continue to help bring our innovations to life by providing us with their valuable insight and playing an active role in development."

As part of its ongoing commitment to innovation, Philips continues to collaborate with customers and research partners to advance the capabilities of MR imaging. At ISMRM, Philips will also be highlighting two additional MR-based clinical applications that are in development:

• Compressed SENSE [5] – Designed to tackle the challenges associated with bringing speed in MRI while maintaining consistent image quality.
• APT [5] – APT (Amide Proton Transfer) addresses the need for definitive diagnosis in neuro oncology.

Philips will be showcasing its MR solutions at booth #629 at the ISMRM Annual Meeting, Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. The company will host a lunch symposium at ISMRM on Wednesday, April 26, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Attendees will hear from industry leaders who will share their knowledge about innovation in MR technology.

Follow @PhilipsLiveFrom for updates from the 2017 International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, and visit www.philips.com/ISMRM for details on Philips' presence at the event.

[1] Accessible is defined as features that are expected to contribute to speed, consistency, user or patient friendliness.
[2] Definitive is defined as features that are expected to deliver alternative contrasts, functional or quantitative images.
[3] Up to an MB SENSE factor of 3.
[4] Philips is not a sponsor of the study. 
[5] Compressed SENSE and APT are work in progress, not for sale in the USA.

For further information, please contact:
Alicia Cafardi
Philips Group Communications
Tel: + 1 412-523-9616
E-mail: alicia.cafardi@philips.com

Silvie Casanova
Philips North America
Tel: +1-978-657-7467
E-mail: silvie.casanova@philips.com

About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com\newscenter.

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SOURCE Royal Philips