SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Just one year after the introduction of the Signa HDe 1.5T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner, the 100th system has shipped to SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, Lake Saint Louis, MO, GE announced.

Building on GE's proven high definition (HD) platform, Signa HDe 1.5T delivers low operating costs and a small footprint, making onsite 1.5T MR services available to physicians' offices and imaging centers previously unable to provide onsite 1.5T MR services.

"There are thousands of medical centers and physician offices around the world that don't have an MR system," said John Chiminski, vice president and general manager of GE Healthcare's global MR business. "The Signa HDe 1.5T can be sited where most 1.5T MR systems cannot and provides significant imaging capability and customer value for radiologists looking to install a new system or replace their lower field MR system. The 100th shipment of the Signa HDe 1.5T in just one year since its commercial introduction bears credence to GE's recognition of this underserved market need."
Randy Shields, director of Radiology, is pleased with the addition of the Signa HDe 1.5T to the radiology department at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West, Lake Saint Louis, MO.

"Now we can bring the latest technology to the residents of Lake St. Louis, Missouri by offering comprehensive, head-to-toe coverage, MR applications to our constituents in a fiscally-responsible manner," said Shields. "The Signa HDe was a superior solution to meet our MR imaging needs, versus the alternative option of using an MRI mobile service, which has scheduling limitations. GE has enabled SSM St. Joseph Hospital West to raise the bar of clinical capabilities and provide more convenient service to our patients, while strengthening our competitive stance among providers in our area."

The Signa HDe 1.5T provides significant flexibility and advantages for siting and operating cost at community hospitals or outpatient imaging centers around the world. The Signa HDe 1.5T can be installed in the same physical location as Open and 0.5T MR systems with minimal construction costs. Installation time has been reduced by 40 percent and the Signa HDe 1.5T has a 30 percent smaller footprint than a typical 1.5T system.

The Signa HDe 1.5T provides full imaging capability and a complete portfolio of applications. Built on GE's exclusive HD MR platform, the system delivers high resolution that allows clinicians to make definitive diagnoses on their patients.

"We are giving more clinicians access to significantly enhanced image quality and, in turn, helping them provide better patient care," said Chiminski.

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