Less than a wine bottle.

That’s all the liquid helium that Siemens Healthineers’ Magnetom Free.Max (0.55T), Magnetom Free.Star (0.55T), and Magnetom Flow (1.5T) MR systems require — just 0.7 liters. Traditional scanners can require 1,700 liters for superconductivity, creating costly and unpredictable demands for hospitals.

Helium is a scarce and expensive resource that is difficult to store and transport. Fluctuating global supply and rising demand have compounded the issue, making it one of the most volatile components in hospital radiology operations.
As major imaging manufacturers, including Siemens Healthineers, Philips, and GE HealthCare, begin rolling out “zero-helium” scanners designed to conserve resources without compromising image quality, HCB News set out to get a closer look at the technology.

Do these systems live up to the hype? Are there hidden trade-offs? Critics point to higher upfront costs, limited long-term data, and the need for staff to adapt to new workflows.

Katie Grant, Ph.D., vice president of magnetic resonance at Siemens Healthineers, notes the term “zero-helium” is nuanced — “helium-light” is more accurate — but whatever you call them, their operational benefits are clear: lower costs, improved energy efficiency, enhanced safety, and more flexible installation.

For hospitals with tight budgets or fragile supply chains, she adds, the reduced helium requirement isn’t just convenient. It can be a critical advantage that keeps imaging services running smoothly.

Balancing flexibility and accessibility
Siemens Healthineers aims to reduce or eliminate dependence on helium wherever possible, Grant says. The manufacturer first tested helium-light technology with the 0.55T Magnetom Free platform release in 2021. In June, the U.S. FDA cleared the first system in the company’s 1.5T Magnetom Flow platform, Magnetom Flow.Ace, which Grant calls “among the most intelligent MR systems we’ve brought to market.”

A key breakthrough is eliminating quench pipes. Without them, scanners can be installed in surgical suites, emergency departments, or rural hospitals with limited infrastructure. This includes underserved areas, or “care deserts”, such as Chicago’s South Side and parts of Cleveland, where removing siting barriers could meaningfully expand MR access. “You could place it in a remote location with unreliable power, and it would still operate safely. Unlike a typical magnet, it won’t quench, so there’s no release of helium into the air,” Grant says.

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