The race against time: how MRI innovation is transforming Alzheimer's care
Sep 19, 2025 | 3 minute read
About the author About the author
Atul Gupta, MD is Chief Medical Officer at Philips’ Image Guided Therapy and a practicing interventional radiologist. Prior to joining Philips in 2016, Atul served on Philips’ International Medical Advisory Board for more than 10 years. Atul continues to perform both interventional and diagnostic radiology in suburban Philadelphia, in both hospital and office-based lab settings. He has been repeatedly recognized as top physician for his specialty in the media and serves on several advisory boards. He has also published and lectured internationally on a range of interventional procedures.
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Continue Every five seconds, someone develops Alzheimer's disease. But advancements in medications and MRI technology are changing the trajectory of this devastating condition. September is World Alzheimer's Month – an opportunity to raise awareness of the global impact of the disease and support research improving treatment options.
The stark reality we face
Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60% to 70% of the 55 million dementia cases worldwide [1]. By 2050, cases will rise to 139 million with an estimated worldwide cost of $1.3 trillion [2], including those providing unpaid care. This progressive disease destroys memory and thinking skills, eventually affecting simple daily tasks through loss of cognitive functioning and behavioral abilities.
New hope: breakthrough treatments
Emerging scientific innovations are helping to address key barriers in Alzheimer’s patient care. Recently, treatment for the disease took a huge step forward with drugs that target beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, thought to be the primary cause of Alzheimer’s. [3] These Monoclonal antibody medications work to remove the plaques to potentially slow disease progression. Data shows that after about 18 months on these treatments, cognitive decline can be slowed. [3] While these medications won’t cure the disease, they are giving people more time to live independently.
The critical challenge
For Alzheimer’s patients, MRIs contribute to the diagnosis as well as the assessment of treatment effectiveness and are essential in monitoring for any adverse side effects. By leveraging advanced MRI techniques, neurologists can identify the most suitable candidates for these therapies, ensuring timely and personalized treatment. But the guidelines for using these drugs involves regular MRI scans to look for subtle imaging abnormalities- the earliest prognosticator of impending side effects. With these exams already in high demand, this adds additional strain to already overburdened radiologists and our global health system. That is where innovative AI-enabled technologies have an important role to play.
Breaking down access barriers
At Philips, we're already helping to address these challenges with our innovative, intelligent MRI scanners. For example, our BlueSeal technology, with its helium-free operating system [4], delivers improved access to care by enabling MRI installations in locations previously inaccessible due to space, weight, or helium-related infrastructure requirements. Furthermore, the reduced need for helium refills and maintenance lowers operational costs, potentially making services more affordable and accessible. Additionally, our mobile system offers greater access to scanning, particularly in remote areas where the need for diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer’s patients may be limited.
Embedding AI to speed-up care delivery
AI's ability to extract quantitative measurements from brain scans enhances the diagnostic process, enabling quicker decision making and improved monitoring of disease progression. To make MRI scans faster and easier, we’ve embedded new protocols, such as SmartExam planning, along with AI-driven software into our MRI solutions to support imaging needs in Alzheimer’s. For example, Philips SmartSpeed Precise makes it possible to maximize image quality, with up to 80% higher sharpness [5] and increasing imaging speed by up to a factor of 3.[6] For patients, this means reduced scan times and increased access to technology.
Our commitment: hope through innovation
Increasing access to care is key to improving patient outcomes. At Philips, we are committed to collaborating with our industry partners to keep innovating so that we can provide hope in the fight against Alzheimer’s. AI is already playing an increasingly important role in helping radiologists to deliver better care for more people. By continuing to advance technologies that work with treatment options, we aim to make every second, every scan and every breakthrough, matter.
Sources [1] World Health Organization (WHO), Alzheimer's fact sheet [2] Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), Dementia facts and figures [3] Alzheimer's Research UK, New Alzheimer's Drug, Donanemab – what is it and how does it work? [4] Helium-free operations. 7 liters of helium is permanently enclosed in the cryogenic circuit [5] Compared to SENSE imaging [6] Compared to conventional (SENSE/ Compressed SENSE, SmartSpeed AI) imaging. Sharpness was evaluated with phantom scanning.
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