Siemens MRI technology to be employed at new Cardiff brain research centre

Siemens Healthineers has announced that its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology is to be employed at the new Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

Officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last week, the new neuroimaging research hub has been established to support research into the causes of neurological and psychiatric conditions such as dementia, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis.

Four MRI systems have been provided by Siemens Healthineers to aid this research, by providing insights into the structure, function and chemical composition of living brain tissue.

These include a Magnetom Skyra Connectom 3T, currently the only one of its kind in Europe, which allows scientists to study structures in the micron range, plus a Magnetom 7T, which provides ultra-high spatial resolution at more than double the field strength of most scanners.

Both of these cutting-edge systems are still under development and have not yet been released commercially.

Dr Bernd Montag, chief executive officer of Siemens Healthineers, said: "The grand opening is testament to the site's significance and its importance in the ongoing battle to tackle a rise in neurological conditions; we look forward to working closely with CUBRIC to continue to support them on this journey."