Royal Philips and Imricor Medical Systems have launched a new interventional MR (iMR) lab solution built around Philips’ 1.5T MRI platform, combining advanced imaging with MR-compatible systems for cardiac procedures. The companies said the technology is designed to create a connected environment for MR-guided cardiac intervention and is intended to give physicians greater visibility of cardiac tissue during procedures without relying on X-ray fluoroscopy.
The platform brings together Philips’ Cardiac MR Suite, including SmartHeart AI-powered cardiac planning and imaging applications, with Imricor’s NorthStar iMR mapping and guidance system, Advantage-MR EP Recorder/Stimulator and Vision-MR family of electrophysiology catheters. Philips’ BlueSeal helium-free MRI technology forms the underlying imaging platform. The companies said the combination can allow physicians to visualize cardiac anatomy and arrhythmia substrate, track catheters, perform electroanatomical mapping, assess lesion formation and evaluate treatment response during procedures.
Arrhythmia treatments including catheter ablation currently rely primarily on X-ray fluoroscopy, which provides indirect soft-tissue visualization and exposes patients and clinical teams to ionizing radiation. The companies said real-time MRI could provide more detailed intraprocedural tissue information, helping clinicians guide therapy, assess treatment response and identify potential therapy gaps before a patient leaves the procedure room. Philips said the iMR lab configuration can also reduce “siting complexity” and support installation closer to cardiology departments.
The solution is commercially available immediately in CE-marked markets, with some configurations also available in the U.S., while further Imricor configurations are subject to regulatory clearances. NorthStar and the Vision-MR Diagnostic Catheter are commercially available in the U.S., while other Imricor products included in the broader platform are not yet cleared or approved for sale there. The companies first entered into a commercial agreement in 2020, when Imricor granted Philips non-exclusive rights to resell its Advantage-MR System alongside Philips MRI scanners in CE-marked European countries.
