Successful Sim4Life User Workshop @ ISMRM 2018

On June 20, 2018, ZMT welcomed about 100 medical implant manufacturers, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vendors, and key opinion leaders from academia and governmental agencies at the annual ISMRM Sim4Life User Workshop 2018 in Paris, France. The event was hosted by Michael Oberle (CEO), Maria Cabanes (Product Head Validation Hardware), Erdem Ofli (Manager Software Support), and Habib Bousleiman (Head of MRI Applications). At the workshop, several invited speakers shared their experience and their vision for MRI coil design, device optimization, safety, and functionalized virtual anatomical models.

In his excellent keynote speech on “MRI RF Coil Simulation: Industry Perspective at Philips-Invivo”, Scott King from Philips Healthcare, USA, highlighted how ZMT’s simulation platform Sim4Life effectively supports Philips in their mission to design and optimize their MR coils. Desmond Yeo (GE Global Research, USA) provided insights into the use of Sim4Life for in silico safety assessment in MRI, while Michael Steckner (Canon Medical Research, USA) gave an update on the latest developments related to MRI safety standards. In the second part, Bryn Lloyd from the IT’IS Foundation (CH) shared a preview on the next level of functionalized anatomical models, before Louai Al-Dayeh (Boston Scientific Neuromodulation, USA) summarized how ZMT’s computational modeling solutions and validation hardware helped Boston Scientific to reliably test their products for MRI safety according to the new ISO TS 10974 and to cut down the time for the successful development of new MRI conditional safe products.

Last but not least, Earl Zastrow (IT’IS Foundation, CH) shared her vision of a “Synergistic Framework for Comprehensive in silico Trials” with a life demo of the new IMAnalytics 2.0, ZMT’s latest module for fast and fully automated Tier 3 analysis of radiofrequency-induced local power deposition of implantable devices for millions of excitations. Earl also briefly presented the new measuring techniques with ZMT’s validation hardware based on field diversification methodology, which allows to generate a wide range of exposure conditions depending on the device under test.

The presentations were met with great interest and elicited a lot of discussion. The attendees enjoyed a light dinner buffet during the event, which was closed with a networking aperitif where participants had the chance to discuss remaining questions and share their experiences with each other.

Once again, many thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this year's event and don't miss the next ZMT ISMRM Sim4Life User Workshop which will be held in May 2019 in Montreal, Canada!

Packed audience at the ISMRM 2018 S4L User Workshop in Paris

Happy faces of our Z43-crew in front of the ZMT booth