AI cuts MRI scan time from 23 to 9 minutes at Amsterdam cancer center
MRI scan times at the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital in Amsterdam have been reduced from 23 minutes to 9 minutes after the introduction of new artificial intelligence software, RTL reports.
The change targets a well-known challenge in MRI imaging, where patients must remain still inside a narrow, loud tube for extended periods. The shorter scans are already increasing hospital capacity and reducing pressure on both patients and medical personnel.
Radiologist Doenja Lambregts told RTL that the software speeds up how scan data is converted into images. “The AI helps the scanner process the information into images. The software calculates in a smart way what should be shown in the images. That way you get a good image faster.”
She said the shorter scan time also improves image quality because patients struggle to remain still for long periods. Internal movement also affects results. “It is often difficult for patients to lie completely still for that long. And inside your body, everything is moving. Your heart, your breathing, your intestines are constantly moving. That causes the images to become blurred. You can’t tell your intestines to stay still.”
The hospital said the system is also improving workflow. “We are already seeing that we can perform eighteen more examinations in a week than before,” Lambregts told RTL. “We had to schedule those in the evenings or on weekends, but now they can be done during the day. We can also take more time for each patient, and staff can take breaks more often.”
Before implementation, the hospital extensively tested the system, including scanning staff members as “demo patients” using both the old and new software to confirm reliability.
