Medical professionals perform roughly 30 million MRI scans every year—and each MRI system requires approximately 2,000 liters of liquid helium to keep the magnet cool and superconductive for imaging patients. 
That’s a lot of helium, and the current supply is in a precarious situation, thanks to these factors:
- The war in Ukraine
- Climate change
- Privatization of helium resources
- Rise in demand
- Unplanned helium plant shutdowns in the U.S., Russia and Quatar, some of the largest suppliers worldwide
Supply chain issues are disrupting access to helium. This results in higher prices and threatens the ability for hospitals and medical imaging centers to provide these services. It’s no surprise that the U.S. is now rethinking its planned sale of the Federal Helium Reserve, an underground structure that provides 40% of the worlds helium. It was established in 1925. When in 1996 the decision was made to sell off parts of the reserve to private companies to cut stockpile expenses, the private sector cut back on its own helium production. This, too, has contributed to demand surpassing supply.
Healthcare providers are being encouraged to conserve helium and establish new strategies to cope with the helium shortages and higher prices. Some academic labs have even had to temporarily shut down their MR spectroscopy and MR nuclear systems. Others are paying a 30% premium for helium in order to keep their MR scanners in operation.
Helium is a non-renewable, finite and irreplaceable resource. It’s produced by radioactive decay of thorium or uranium within the crust of the earth. The process of creating helium takes millennia, and once helium reaches the surface, it escapes into space.
Now there are considerations to avoid low-priority use of helium. This includes the recreational use of balloons. New efforts are being made to create secure supply chains. In addition, MR providers are being encouraged to invest in regular maintenance inspections to ensure MR components are performing properly.
In addition, recently manufacturers have introduced scanner that use much less helium than used in traditional systems. Some systems don’t’ use helium at all. For example, Philips unveiled the Ingenia Ambition X 1.5T MR Scanner in 2018, which uses seven liters of helium when it is first set up. It doesn’t require more helium throughout its operational life. In 2021 it introduced the MR 5300 1.5T system. While these scanners drastically reduce the use of helium, these systems will not replace the global fleet of traditional MR systems.
Talk To An Expert
What can you do to reduce the use of helium in your medical imaging facility? What does the future of MR systems look like? Talk to the experts at Atlantis Worldwide. We’ve been helping medical imaging professionals find the right systems for their practice, clinic or facility for 30 years and would love to assist you.
Contact Atlantis Worldwide today.
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Meet the author: Vikki Harmonay
