His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA)​​​​​​​ inaugurated two AI medical imaging systems “VIDA 3T 64 XT MRI” and “Acuson Sequoia Ultrasound” at ​Al Zahra Hospital Dubai (AZHD) on Monday.

Sheikh Dr. Faisal Al Qassimi, Chairman of Gulf Medical Projects Company and a group of DHA senior officials attended the launch of the first-of its-kind innovative technology.

Commenting on the launch, Al Qutami said that the private sector is one of the main contributors to the development of the healthcare sector in Dubai.

“DHA aims to support the private healthcare sector to provide high quality services that are in line with the vision of the UAE and Dubai 2021, of providing world-class healthcare services to the people of Dubai. We aim to partner with the private healthcare sector to achieve our strategic goals of reaching a healthier and happier society and to support them in fostering creativity and innovation to provide quality services to meet the healthcare needs of the Dubai community.” HE Al Qutami added.

He also stressed the importance of utilizing artificial intelligence and smart technologies in healthcare in line with the directives and vision of Dubai to elevate the quality of services.

“To embody the principles endorsed by UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda for Health, which encouraged the adoption of AI, AZHD adopted the latest AI backed medical imaging technologies for the first time in the UAE among the few eminent hospital systems that adopted this technology globally,” Stated Dr Mohaymen Abdelghany, Chief Executive of AZHD.

“With the addition of the new MRI, patients from Dubai and UAE can easily access our Same Day MRI Report Service where patients get the MRI scan done and get their images and reports in the same day through “Motawasel” our patient engagement app,” He said.

The new VIDA 3T 64 XT MRI system applies fast sequences so examinations can take up to 50% less time. For example, stroke protocol can be done in five minutes giving six fully diagnostic sequences. In addition, the system offers quiet and almost inaudible environment with 30% sharper and higher quality clinical images compared to previous MRI systems.

“The new MRI is equipped with BioMatrix artificial intelligence technology that adapts itself automatically to the human anatomical and physiological bio-variations to easily accommodate the pediatric and claustrophobic patients without the need for general anesthesia. This technology will enable us in Dubai to serve patient groups that were previously deemed unsuitable that prevent them from actively supporting the scan,” said Dr Osama El Zamzami, Head of Radiology and Medical Imaging Department at AZHD.

Ultrasound imaging is often challenged with unwanted variability and inconsistent results when people of different physiologies and anatomies are examined.

“In an attempt to overcome these challenges, clinicians have traditionally compromised on ultrasound image resolution, or penetration of their ultrasound imaging,” said Dr Abdelghany CEO of AZHD.

“To address this challenge, we are adopting the newly released Acuson Sequoia Ultrasound system by Siemens Healthineers. Sequoia’s new BioAcoustic AI imaging technology sends waves that penetrates tissues as deep as 40 cm without impacting quality compared to 15 cm in the older ultrasound equipment versions.

This allows radiologists to examine different patients varying in size with confidence and clarity including obese patients above 150 kgs,” Dr. Abdelghany added.