Philips Introduces World’s First Helium-Free 3.0T MRI Platform: BlueSeal Horizon

At RSNA 2025, Philips unveiled a groundbreaking advancement in MRI technology: the BlueSeal Horizon platform, the world’s first 3.0T MRI system with a helium-free magnet. Building on the company’s pioneering work with helium-free 1.5T systems, BlueSeal Horizon brings high-field imaging into a more sustainable and accessible future.

“With BlueSeal Horizon we’re freeing MRI from dependence on a valuable resource the world can’t replace and bringing advanced diagnostic capabilities to people previously out of reach,” said Ioannis Panagiotelis, PhD, Business Leader, MR at Philips.

Helium-free 3.0T MRI marks a pivotal moment in imaging innovation. Conventional 3.0T MRI systems rely on thousands of liters of liquid helium for cooling, a finite and non-renewable resource. By eliminating helium from the equation, BlueSeal Horizon simplifies siting requirements, removes the need for vent pipes, and reduces installation complexity and long-term service risks—without compromising diagnostic power.

More than just a new magnet, BlueSeal Horizon is a full innovation platform that combines advanced hardware with integrated AI-powered software to deliver speed, precision, and efficiency. Designed to handle the most complex clinical cases—including neuro, musculoskeletal, and vascular imaging—this platform is aimed at both academic institutions and everyday clinical settings.

Philips’ next-generation AI features integrated into the BlueSeal Horizon platform include:

• SmartPlanning: Now extended to cardiac imaging, this tool automates exam setup in as little as 30 seconds, replacing multiple manual steps with a single click.

• Real-time Scan Preview: Built on NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platform and leveraging open AI models, this feature enables dynamic scan previews with real-time control over image quality, speed, and denoising.

• SmartSpeed Precise: A dual-AI reconstruction engine that delivers up to three times faster scans and up to 80% sharper images, allowing clinicians to detect subtle details more efficiently.

• SmartReading: Cloud-connected AI reading and reporting tools focused on neurology and oncology, embedded directly within the MR system to streamline interpretation and decision-making.

Together, these tools aim to help radiology teams improve diagnostic confidence, streamline workflows, and support consistent first-time-right results across diverse patient populations.

Since launching its first BlueSeal helium-free 1.5T systems in 2018, Philips has installed over 2,000 units globally, collectively saving more than six million liters of helium. Now, the company extends this environmentally conscious innovation to 3.0T—the most advanced MRI field strength in mainstream clinical use.

With BlueSeal Horizon, Philips is positioning itself at the intersection of sustainability, AI integration, and clinical performance—making high-field MRI more adaptable, intelligent, and environmentally responsible than ever before.