by
Barbara Kram, Editor | December 01, 2009
GE 32 channel cardiac/
chest MRI coil
This report originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of DOTmed Business News
As go MRI scanners, so go MRI coils.
MRI scanners and the coils that support their utility have experienced a sales decline of about 20 percent in recent years, reflecting the general downturn in capital equipment purchases for medical imaging, according to DOTmed sources.
Countering this decline are two bright spots for the coil business: with hospitals safeguarding their budgets, the coil repair market has been enjoying double-digit growth in the last five years. Sales of aftermarket refurbished coils are also up since these provide a low-cost alternative to buying new, replacement components. Coils can be repaired for about one-tenth their full replacement cost.
Philips SENSE Mammo
Trak Breast 16-Channel Coil
"One trend we are seeing, hospitals are holding on to their equipment longer because they can't get the financing to buy the latest and greatest. The longer you have your equipment, the longer you have the coils, and they get mishandled or start to break down," said Bernie Bartoszek, Executive VP, MagnaServ, Inc. The company is a well-established GE house with MR bays for coil testing. That's important because hospitals and imaging centers that want to save money by using refurbished coils need to select the most experienced and best equipped independent service providers. "Our engineers have GE field experience and are skilled, seasoned people," Bartoszek explained.
Technological Trends Increase Technical Demands
"In the past, coil repair was not really difficult because there were only a select number of coils and manufacturers out there. The technology used on the early coils was not sophisticated so it was easy to replace and test parts. But as technology changed, so did the variations, complexities and number of manufacturers. It became more difficult to get into coil repair," reflected Matthew Charkhkar, President, Harmony Medical Solutions. "As coils continue to get more complex, there will be less opportunity for independent companies to offer repair," he said. "There are companies who claim they are doing repairs and some do a good job. But in order to do a comprehensive coil repair, you have to address electronics, cosmetics and cable interfaces. "If a company claims to have a repair capability, they need to be technically astute and know what they are doing."
