Monitoring of patients in the MRI suite, particularly those under anesthesia, is often impossible since traditional patient monitors don’t do well around strong magnetic fields. Philips just received FDA clearance to introduce the Expression MR400 patient monitor that works much like the monitors found in ICUs, but avoids image degradation and other interference arising from the large nearby magnet.
Along with ECG, the device tracks the heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, CO2 levels, blood pressure, and temperature, all on a standard interface that’s essentially the same as on other Philips patient monitors. It has alarms that can be set for the various parameters to help detect apnea, improper heart beats, and desaturation. The MR400 can be used with both adult and pediatric patients while on or off of anesthesia, including those going through cardiac procedures and folks that are under critical care.
Additionally, the device sports wireless capabilities, allowing it to connect to the hospital’s EHR network and share its data for long term storage.
Source: Philips…