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MAGNETOM Free.Max: Breaking the Field Strength Barrier in MRI

MAGNETOM Free.Max: Breaking the Field Strength Barrier in MRI Medray Diagnostics, Amman, Jordan
Courtesy of Mr. Hisham Naddaf, Radiology Branch Manager

Introduction

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations require a balance between diagnostic image quality and patient tolerance, particularly in individuals with anxiety, claustrophobia, or limited ability to remain still for extended periods. Patient comfort and adaptability to diverse clinical conditions are essential determinants of examination success, image quality, and diagnostic confidence. Advances in MRI technology have increasingly focused on addressing these challenges without compromising clinical performance.

The MAGNETOM Free.Max system (Siemens Healthineers) represents a novel approach to low-field MRI, integrating patient-centric design with advanced image reconstruction technologies. Clinical experience with this system demonstrates its potential to improve imaging feasibility in challenging patient populations while maintaining diagnostic image quality and operational efficiency.

Deep resolve MRI ankle — Patient with fixations in Ankle. Images show drastic reduction in artifacts from the implant compared to high-field strength scanners.

When combined with advanced artificial intelligence–based image reconstruction techniques, such as Deep Resolve, low-field imaging can achieve enhanced image quality and accelerated acquisition times. This synergistic approach allows for improved spatial resolution, reduced noise, and greater diagnostic confidence in implant imaging, while maintaining efficient workflow. As a result, MRI examinations in patients with metallic implants can be performed more reliably, expanding diagnostic capability in a patient population traditionally considered challenging for MRI.

Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination — Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination. Accompanying person could hold the hand during the whole examination from the backside of the magnet.

Metallic Implants: Imaging of Postoperative Changes

A growing number of patients with metallic implants present with postoperative or chronic clinical conditions that are most effectively evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI plays a critical role in the assessment of soft-tissue pathology, postoperative complications, infection, inflammation, and adjacent structural integrity. However, the presence of metallic implants—particularly those containing paramagnetic or ferromagnetic components—poses significant challenges due to susceptibility-related artifacts, signal distortion, and local field inhomogeneity, which can substantially limit diagnostic accuracy.

Metallic Implants: Imaging of Postoperative Changes — Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination. Accompanying person could hold the hand during the whole examination from the backside of the magnet.

MRI examinations in patients with metallic implants require careful consideration of safety, artifact reduction, and protocol optimization. Various strategies may be employed by radiologists and technologists to mitigate implant-related artifacts, including sequence selection, bandwidth adjustments, slice orientation optimization, and the use of metal artifact reduction techniques.

Despite these adaptations, image degradation remains a limiting factor, particularly at higher magnetic field strengths where susceptibility effects are amplified.

Ankle MRI — Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination. Accompanying person could hold the hand during the whole examination from the backside of the magnet.

Low-field MRI systems offer an inherent advantage in this context, as reduced magnetic field strength results in diminished susceptibility artifacts and less signal distortion around metallic hardware. The MAGNETOM Free.Max system demonstrates this advantage by providing improved visualization of tissues adjacent to metallic implants, even with minimal protocol modification. The lower field strength intrinsically reduces artifact size and intensity, facilitating improved assessment of postoperative anatomy and surrounding soft tissues.

Deep resolve MRI ankle — Patient with fixations in Ankle. Images show drastic reduction in artifacts from the implant compared to high-field strength scanners.

When combined with advanced artificial intelligence–based image reconstruction techniques, such as Deep Resolve, low-field imaging can achieve enhanced image quality and accelerated acquisition times. This synergistic approach allows for improved spatial resolution, reduced noise, and greater diagnostic confidence in implant imaging, while maintaining efficient workflow. As a result, MRI examinations in patients with metallic implants can be performed more reliably, expanding diagnostic capability in a patient population traditionally considered challenging for MRI.

Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination — Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination. Accompanying person could hold the hand during the whole examination from the backside of the magnet.

Metallic Implants: Imaging of Postoperative Changes

A growing number of patients with metallic implants present with postoperative or chronic clinical conditions that are most effectively evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI plays a critical role in the assessment of soft-tissue pathology, postoperative complications, infection, inflammation, and adjacent structural integrity. However, the presence of metallic implants—particularly those containing paramagnetic or ferromagnetic components—poses significant challenges due to susceptibility-related artifacts, signal distortion, and local field inhomogeneity, which can substantially limit diagnostic accuracy.

Metallic Implants: Imaging of Postoperative Changes — Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination. Accompanying person could hold the hand during the whole examination from the backside of the magnet.

MRI examinations in patients with metallic implants require careful consideration of safety, artifact reduction, and protocol optimization. Various strategies may be employed by radiologists and technologists to mitigate implant-related artifacts, including sequence selection, bandwidth adjustments, slice orientation optimization, and the use of metal artifact reduction techniques.

Despite these adaptations, image degradation remains a limiting factor, particularly at higher magnetic field strengths where susceptibility effects are amplified.

Ankle MRI — Patient with claustrophobia for Shoulder MRI examination. Accompanying person could hold the hand during the whole examination from the backside of the magnet.

Low-field MRI systems offer an inherent advantage in this context, as reduced magnetic field strength results in diminished susceptibility artifacts and less signal distortion around metallic hardware. The MAGNETOM Free.Max system demonstrates this advantage by providing improved visualization of tissues adjacent to metallic implants, even with minimal protocol modification. The lower field strength intrinsically reduces artifact size and intensity, facilitating improved assessment of postoperative anatomy and surrounding soft tissues.

Deep resolve MRI ankle — Patient with fixations in Ankle. Images show drastic reduction in artifacts from the implant compared to high-field strength scanners.

When combined with advanced artificial intelligence–based image reconstruction techniques, such as Deep Resolve, low-field imaging can achieve enhanced image quality and accelerated acquisition times. This synergistic approach allows for improved spatial resolution, reduced noise, and greater diagnostic confidence in implant imaging, while maintaining efficient workflow. As a result, MRI examinations in patients with metallic implants can be performed more reliably, expanding diagnostic capability in a patient population traditionally considered challenging for MRI.

Elbow MRI Medray — Elbow MRI images: Patient was positioned comfortably inside spacious Magnet, with the Contour S coil wrapped around Elbow. Deep Resolve ensured high resolution images in a short scan time duration.

In addition, the availability of contour coils in multiple sizes provides greater flexibility in selecting the most appropriate coil for the anatomical region being examined. This adaptability enables optimized signal reception and improved image quality across a wide range of body habitus and clinical indications.

Clinical experience demonstrates that MRI examinations using the MAGNETOM Free.Max can be successfully completed in obese patients who would otherwise be unable to undergo MRI using conventional systems, thereby expanding access to diagnostic imaging in this challenging patient population.

Knee MRI Medray — Knee MRI images of a patient weighing 200 Kg performed using the Contour Large coil and Deep Resolve.

Imaging of Obese Patients

Obesity presents several challenges in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including limitations related to table weight capacity, bore diameter, patient positioning, claustrophobia, and difficulty maintaining immobility during image acquisition. These factors can adversely affect image quality and may result in incomplete examinations, motion artifacts, or exclusion of patients from MRI altogether. Addressing these challenges requires a combination of patient-centered system design, optimized imaging protocols, appropriate coil selection, and flexible patient positioning to ensure diagnostic-quality imaging.

The MAGNETOM Free.Max system offers significant advantages for imaging obese patients through its open-bore design, which enhances both physical accessibility and psychological comfort. The wider bore allows patients to be positioned more comfortably and reduces the sensation of confinement, thereby improving patient cooperation and reducing motion-related artifacts. This design also facilitates flexible patient positioning, which is particularly beneficial for imaging off-center joints such as the shoulder and elbow, not only in obese patients but also across the general patient population.

Elbow MRI Medray — Elbow MRI images: Patient was positioned comfortably inside spacious Magnet, with the Contour S coil wrapped around Elbow. Deep Resolve ensured high resolution images in a short scan time duration.

In addition, the availability of contour coils in multiple sizes provides greater flexibility in selecting the most appropriate coil for the anatomical region being examined. This adaptability enables optimized signal reception and improved image quality across a wide range of body habitus and clinical indications.

Clinical experience demonstrates that MRI examinations using the MAGNETOM Free.Max can be successfully completed in obese patients who would otherwise be unable to undergo MRI using conventional systems, thereby expanding access to diagnostic imaging in this challenging patient population.

Knee MRI Medray — Knee MRI images of a patient weighing 200 Kg performed using the Contour Large coil and Deep Resolve.

Imaging of Obese Patients

Obesity presents several challenges in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including limitations related to table weight capacity, bore diameter, patient positioning, claustrophobia, and difficulty maintaining immobility during image acquisition. These factors can adversely affect image quality and may result in incomplete examinations, motion artifacts, or exclusion of patients from MRI altogether. Addressing these challenges requires a combination of patient-centered system design, optimized imaging protocols, appropriate coil selection, and flexible patient positioning to ensure diagnostic-quality imaging.

The MAGNETOM Free.Max system offers significant advantages for imaging obese patients through its open-bore design, which enhances both physical accessibility and psychological comfort. The wider bore allows patients to be positioned more comfortably and reduces the sensation of confinement, thereby improving patient cooperation and reducing motion-related artifacts. This design also facilitates flexible patient positioning, which is particularly beneficial for imaging off-center joints such as the shoulder and elbow, not only in obese patients but also across the general patient population.

Elbow MRI Medray — Elbow MRI images: Patient was positioned comfortably inside spacious Magnet, with the Contour S coil wrapped around Elbow. Deep Resolve ensured high resolution images in a short scan time duration.

In addition, the availability of contour coils in multiple sizes provides greater flexibility in selecting the most appropriate coil for the anatomical region being examined. This adaptability enables optimized signal reception and improved image quality across a wide range of body habitus and clinical indications.

Clinical experience demonstrates that MRI examinations using the MAGNETOM Free.Max can be successfully completed in obese patients who would otherwise be unable to undergo MRI using conventional systems, thereby expanding access to diagnostic imaging in this challenging patient population.

Conclusion

Magnetic resonance imaging examinations can be challenging in specific patient populations, including individuals with obesity, metallic implants, and claustrophobia, often requiring specialized workflows and advanced imaging solutions to overcome technical and patient-related limitations. Addressing these challenges is essential to ensure diagnostic accuracy, examination completion, and equitable access to MRI.

The MAGNETOM Free.Max system enables a patient-centered imaging approach by combining low-field technology with an open-bore design and advanced image reconstruction capabilities. This platform facilitates successful MRI examinations in patients who are traditionally considered difficult to image, while maintaining diagnostic image quality and operational efficiency. Clinical experience demonstrates that the use of MAGNETOM Free.Max expands MRI accessibility and supports inclusive, high-quality imaging across diverse patient groups, underscoring its value in contemporary radiologic practice.

"The MAGNETOM Free.Max system enables a patient-centered imaging approach by combining low-field technology with an open-bore design and advanced image reconstruction capabilities."

Mr. Hisham Naddaf

Mr. Hisham Naddaf

Radiology Branch Manager Medray Diagnostics Amman, Jordan