University of Missouri Health Care's 7T scanner joins exclusive ACR accreditation club

The University of Missouri Health Care’s cutting-edge 7T MRI scanner has received accreditation from the American College of Radiology, joining an exclusive club that only a handful of scanners are members of. 

There are fewer than 40 of these 7T MRI scanners in North America, and MU Health Care’s is one of fewer than 10 to achieve ACR accreditation. The powerful magnet offers providers unprecedented detail into the body, particularly within the brain. 

Bill Keller, MU Health Care’s manager of radiology services, explained that the facility sought accreditation early due to the scanner’s frequent clinical use.  

“We pursued accreditation early on because our 7T MRI scanner sees a higher level of clinical use than most 7T MRI machines in the United States,” said Keller in a release. “The accreditation ensures we are meeting and maintaining quality and safety standards for patient care.” 

MU’s 7T scanner is part of a broader collaboration between MU Health Care and Siemens Healthineers through the Alliance for Precision Health. This partnership grants researchers access to state-of-the-art technology and the expertise behind its development. It is routinely used to study neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, traumatic brain injuries and headaches, in addition to being utilized to gain insight into joint problems. 

“This collaboration provides an opportunity for our research scientists to access some of the latest equipment from Siemens Healthineers and understand their development processes,” Keller said. “We have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg for what can be done with 7T MRI, and we’re doing everything we can to bring these advances to patients as quickly as possible.” 

Mai-Lan Ho, vice chair of clinical radiology and director of neuroradiology at MU Health Care, expressed optimism for how the scanner can improve the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases. 

“When you get a better look at what’s going on inside, you start to understand the mechanisms of a disease,” she said. “It opens the door to interesting discussions and more treatment possibilities.”