Philips and Polarean Imaging are deepening their collaboration to expand the clinical use of hyperpolarized Xenon gas MR, with a focus on pediatric patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

The effort aims to make radiation-free lung imaging available to children as young as 6, pending regulatory approval.

The initiative builds on existing FDA clearance for Xenon MR in patients 12 and older. The technique, which uses hyperpolarized Xenon gas as a contrast agent, enables clinicians to visualize lung ventilation in real time. Unlike standard imaging, it can provide functional information on airflow throughout the lungs without exposing patients to ionizing radiation.
The technology is now integrated into Philips’ 3.0T MR systems through the use of Polarean’s FDA-cleared XENOVIEW 3T Chest Coil. Clinicians can conduct both Xenon and traditional proton MR scans without changing coils or repositioning patients. According to Philips, the complete scan takes less than a minute and requires only two 10-second breath-holds.

Dr. Laura Walkup, associate professor in the division of pulmonary medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, said, “By combining Philips’ MR platform with Polarean’s Xenon MR technology, we can now routinely and efficiently visualize how air moves through a child’s lungs, without the risks of radiation.”

Obstructive lung conditions, including asthma and COPD, affect over 42 million Americans and more than 500 million people globally, according to data cited by the companies. Imaging methods currently in use often fall short in assessing ventilation, particularly in pediatric patients who require frequent follow-ups.

Philips and Polarean plan to showcase the technology at the ISMRM 2025 annual meeting, emphasizing its potential to shift multi-nuclei MR from research settings to everyday clinical practice. Currently, Philips reports that 10% of its 3.0T MR sites globally use non-proton imaging clinically.

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