Innovation that matters to you

Quite simply, this is because it is a win-win situation. Researchers, clinicians, patients (and many others) bring us their expertise and insight, we mix it with our technical expertise and insight, and together we create medical imaging systems that they need, and that we are proud of.

As a prime example, Dr. Tetsuya Yoneda, Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Physics at Kumamoto University in Japan, first contacted us about his work on phase information in MRI data. It was quickly apparent Dr. Yoneda had some pioneering ideas on the enhanced visualization of susceptibility differences between tissues – how it enriches the contrast between materials, helping clinicians delineate fine anatomical structures and identify deoxygenated blood in very small vessels – so we formed an official alliance.

Philips experts began working closely with Dr. Yoneda, developing his findings and working out how to take a research project to radiology department.

A revolutionary software combining magnitude and phase information in SWI to enhance the quality and contrast of brain images, it means clinicians have a greater level of detail to support them in the detection of neuro vascular and neuro degenerative diseases.

SWIp is now available to Philips customers all over the world, proving a valuable addition in neurological imaging sequences. To name a few, Dr. Truwit, neuro radiologist and Chief Innovation Officer at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, and his team deploy the software in around 90% of the brain scans they perform. SWIp is also widely used at Kumamoto University Hospital where clinicians work closely with Dr. Yoneda.

All this early success has not stopped the Philips team and Dr. Yoneda from continuing to push the boundaries though. They are still working tirelessly to fine-tune and enhance SWIp, and to form more critical partnerships around the globe – for example, Dr. Yoneda and his colleagues regularly submit abstracts on susceptibility weighted imaging to international congresses.

It is a brilliant position to be in, and one we would not have reached without pooling our respective strengths, uniting our visions and working together.

Modern technology may have revolutionized the way in which we communicate and pool these ideas, but the age-old notion that collaboration helps create something that is stronger and better than the sum of its parts certainly holds true.

Courtesy of Dr Tetsuya Yoneda. Kumamoto University – Japan. Images acquired on Ingenia 3.0T CX

SWIp reveals information that was previously unseen

Philips has a long tradition of translating research into innovation and helping customers address their challenges. Engaging with the people who benefit from our solutions is an important part of what we do. Events such as ISMRM enable us to showcase new developments and talk to the customers who use them on a day-to-day basis.