Guilford, CT, May 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hyperfine’s category-defining Swoop™ Portable MR Imaging System has been recognized as best in class with a Gold Medical Design Excellence Award (MDEA) in the Radiology, Imaging, and Electromechanical Devices category. Medical Device and Diagnostics Industry magazine presented the award during the annual Medtech Design Summit on May 13.
“The caliber of honorees in this competition truly represents the best of this industry,” commented Dr. Khan Siddiqui, Hyperfine’s Chief Medical Officer. “For years, I have looked to the annual MDEA awards to see who the very best are in an industry that is defined by near-miraculous innovation. To see Hyperfine recognized in this way – and with a Gold award – is simply incredible. We will work even harder to bring accessible MR imaging to patients everywhere."
Since its inception in 1998, the mission of the MDEAs has been to recognize significant achievements in medical product design and engineering that improve the quality of healthcare delivery and accessibility. Judging of each year's MDEA competition is conducted by an impartial, multidisciplinary panel of experts—comprised of a balance of clinicians, engineers, and designers—who carefully review all of the submissions and narrow them down to a select group of exceptional products in each of the eleven medtech categories.
Swoop™ offers unprecedented accessibility, immediacy, and convenience for patients and clinicians alike—it wheels directly to a patient’s bedside, plugs into a standard electrical outlet, and uses an Apple iPad® for control. Images display within minutes, enabling critical decision-making across clinical settings such as neurointensive care units, emergency departments, pediatrics, and more. Designed to complement fixed conventional MRI systems, Hyperfine can train new users on operation, device navigation, and safety in about 30 minutes. As easy to own as it is to use, the complete Swoop™ system costs less than the annual service contract for most current fixed MRI systems.
About MR Imaging and the Swoop™ Portable MR Imaging System
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves, and a computer to create detailed pictures of the body's internal structures, like the brain and skull. Doctors use these images to diagnose a variety of medical conditions. However, fixed conventional MRI systems can be inconvenient and inaccessible for providers and patients, especially when time is critical. Transport to the MR suite demands complicated scheduling coordination, moving patients, and, often, 4- to 6-hour patient backlogs—all of which compromise the utility of MRI as a diagnostic tool in time-sensitive settings. Furthermore, high capital investments, electrical power needs, and significant maintenance requirements present barriers to adoption across all populations, acutely so for developing countries and rural geographies.
The Swoop™ Portable MR Imaging System addresses limitations of current imaging technologies and makes MRI accessible anytime, anywhere, to any patient. In August 2020, Swoop™ received market-ready FDA clearance for portable MR imaging of the brain and head for patients of all ages and received additional clearance for its deep learning Advanced AI Applications image analysis software in January 2021.
Numerous leading organizations have recognized Hyperfine’s Swoop™ Portable MR Imaging System as one of the most innovative health care technologies available today. Recently named a World Changing Idea by Fast Company Magazine, Swoop™ also won a CES 2021 Innovation Award, and was recognized by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) as a solution that will shape the future of emergency medicine. Aunt Minnie named Hyperfine as one of two finalists for Best New Radiology Vendor in its 2020 Minnies Awards. The company also received the Best Practices Product Innovation Award from Frost & Sullivan, describing the disruptive technology as a “massive leap forward to democratizing MRI.”
About Hyperfine Research
Hyperfine’s mission is to make MRI accessible to every patient, regardless of income or resources. Anytime. Anywhere. Hyperfine designed the Swoop™ Portable MR Imaging System to overcome patient transport and dedicated room requirements associated with fixed conventional MRI systems. The Swoop™ system plugs into a standard electrical outlet, uses an Apple iPad® for control, and produces images at a patient’s bedside within minutes, allowing care teams to gain clinical information quickly. Fierce Medtech recently recognized Hyperfine as a 2020 Fierce 15 company for its innovative and creative approach to developing solutions for healthcare providers and patients. Hyperfine is part of 4Catalyzer, a portfolio of health technology companies with facilities in Connecticut, New York City, Palo Alto, California, and Taiwan.
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