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Sustainability

MRI and sustainability

Reducing energy consumption without compromising 

5min
Philipp Grätzel von Grätz
Published on January 30, 2023

MRI machines are power-hungry, no secret about that. But this doesn‘t mean that their appetite cannot be tamed. Average energy consumption of MRI units has decreased since the early years of the technology. And there are some promising avenues currently being explored that could enhance energy efficiency further in the years to come.

As a rule of thumb, about 60 to 70 percent of an MRI’s total energy consumption is used for the refrigeration of the magnet.

Simon Calvert, Siemens Magnet Technology in Oxford, United Kingdom

How to standardize energy consumption measurements

Constant cooling of an MRI magnet means constant energy is required.

Saving energy on the cooling system

Other options to improve energy sustainability

What the future (might) hold

By Philipp Grätzel von Grätz

Philipp Grätzel von Grätz lives and works as a freelance medical journalist in Berlin. His specialties are digitalization, technology, and cardiovascular therapy.