Chicago: On June 5, 2023, GE HealthCare announced that Sonic DL, a cutting-edge deep learning-based technology intended to significantly speed up image formation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has received FDA approval and would be made available for the patients dealing with arrhythmias and breath-holding issues. New imaging paradigms are made possible by Sonic DL, such as high-quality cardiac MRI in a single heartbeat. This innovation broadens the portfolio of GE HealthCare's premier AI-enabled solutions.

The standard for evaluating the structure and function of the heart in cardiovascular disease is cardiac MRI, but adoption rates are still low globally, since exams take so long. The heart must beat several times and be held still for several breaths in order for the present MRI acquisition speed to catch the heart's contraction in real time. This procedure takes a long time, can degrade imaging quality, and is taxing on the patients. As a result, there is an urgent need to meet the rising demand for quick, excellent, and comfortable cardiac MR imaging. GE HealthCare is introducing Sonic DL for cardiac MRI to fulfil this need. By matching the pace of MRI to the speed of physiology, Sonic DL technology enables rapid cardiac MR functional imaging in just as one heartbeat, up to 12 times quicker than standard techniques. With this innovation, the necessity for repeated patient breath holds is reduced or eliminated, simplifying procedures, and increasing the number of patients who can undergo cardiac MRI, including those with arrhythmias and those who have trouble holding their breath.

The capacity of Sonic DL to cut cardiac MRI scan times by up to 83% also improves productivity in radiology departments by streamlining workflows, avoiding backlogs, and lightening the workload on staff. The limits of traditional acceleration techniques are overcome by its cutting-edge technology, which follows the beating heart with unmatched image quality. 

Sonic DL's breakthrough demonstrates GE HealthCare's dedication to enhancing MRI with cutting-edge AI deep learning technology. The aim of GE HealthCare is to apply this technology to all anatomies. A strong solution suite for increased speed and picture quality in MRI is represented by the union of Sonic DL and AIR Recon DL.

Dr. Gianluca Pontone, Director of Perioperative Cardiology and Cardiovascular Imaging Dept., Centro Cardiologico Monzino explained, “Sonic DL emerges as a game-changer in the field of cardiac imaging. By capturing images within a single heartbeat, this cutting-edge technology addresses the unique needs of patients who face challenges in breath-holding, suffer from advanced heart failure, or have arrhythmias. The significance of this capability cannot be overstated, as it ensures a smoother and more comfortable experience for patients during MRI exams. Moreover, Sonic DL’s ability to significantly reduce scan times mitigates the occurrence of motion artifacts that can compromise image quality, paving the way for more accurate and reliable diagnoses.”

Jie Xue, President & CEO, Global MR, GE HealthCare said, “Sonic DL is a paradigm shift for MR enabling high-quality imaging in a single heartbeat”. The CEO further stated, “It greatly expands patient access and improves diagnostic value for patients who need it the most but previously couldn’t be scanned successfully. Our industry-leading deep learning technology, AIR Recon DL, has already benefited more than 10 million patients. We expect Sonic DL to further extend the lead of GE HealthCare in leveraging AI to advance healthcare and benefit patients around the world.”

According to TechSci Research, the Sonic DL, a cutting-edge deep learning-based device that has recently received FDA approval, will  be soon made accessible to the healthcare professionals. Sonic DL is designed to considerably speed up acquisition in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sonic DL makes it feasible to perform high-quality cardiac MRI scans in a single heartbeat, among other new imaging paradigms. The portfolio of GE HealthCare's top AI-enabled solutions has expanded by this breakthrough. This in turn will further improve the positioning of GE Healthcare among the others diagnostic imaging devices and solution provider companies. . By reducing the examination period, it will also enhance the results of the imaging test. Sonic DL's entry into the market opens an additional source of revenue for GE Healthcare.

Since it is an AI tool, it can improve the quality and resolution of MRI images. AI tool incorporated in MRI machine can generate high-quality photos from limited data by using deep learning approaches, which minimize artefacts and enhance image clarity. Additionally, it has the ability to automatically analyses MRI images, offering segmentation, lesion detection, and quantitative data. As it generates high-quality magnetic resonance (MR) images up to 12 times faster than conventional methods, enabling cardiac imaging during a single heartbeat, this device is for patients with arrhythmias and breath-holding concerns. The market competition that Sonic DL's debut for the diagnostic will encourage more medical device companies to invest in R&D to produce cutting-edge diagnostic imaging devices.