Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Advancing Pediatric MRI
From innovation to clinical impact
Children are not small adults—pediatric MRI presents unique challenges for radiologists, from motion and limited cooperation to minimizing stress while preserving image quality. Philips understands these realities. Our comprehensive portfolio is designed to support gentle, efficient workflows, guided by our Seven‑Free mission to reduce motion, breath‑holds, contrast use, sedation and exam burden. From child-friendly preparation to patient‑centric coils and fast, robust imaging, we help make pediatric MRI more manageable for teams, children, and families.
Diagnostic confidence and efficient clinical workflows
Pediatric MRI designed around children
Supporting calm MRI experiences
Demonstrated results in pediatric MRI
Up to 3x faster
Shorter pediatric exams while preserving detail
with SmartSpeed Precise enables up to 3x faster imaging [1], supporting shorter scan times and smoother throughput—helpful when motion risk is high and comfort matters.
Read moreUp to 80% sharper
Boost sharpness and reduce noise for confident reads.
SmartSpeed Precise delivers up to 80% sharper images [2], improving anatomical detail while keeping exams efficient—supporting diagnostic confidence in time constrained pediatric workflows
Read more98% awake scans
Preparation helped most 4–11 year olds complete MRI awake.
At Grantham Hospital (UK), after preparation over 98% of children aged 4–11 (including those with complex needs) completed awake MRI scans. Play therapy with Pediatric Coaching prepared 323 children over 18 months.
Read more90% of cases
Reduction of breathing motion and pulsatility artifacts
Philips SmartSpeed MotionFree reduces breathing motion and pulsatility artifacts, enabling clearer, more consistent images during free‑breathing exams. This supports reliable image quality in challenging patients and helps minimize repeat scans, supporting efficient pediatric MRI workflows.
Pediatric MRI - Better care for every child
Philips Pediatric MRI is built around our patient‑centric Seven‑Free mission
- With the goal to be free from radiation, needle, noise, motion, breath‑hold, contrast and sedation wherever clinically appropriate—so children can be scanned more comfortably and safely.
- By combining fast, robust imaging, child‑friendly preparation and gentle workflows, pediatric MRI helps reduce anxiety, support awake scanning, and deliver clear, diagnostic‑quality images.
- Clinicians benefit from reliable exams, fewer repeat scans and smoother scheduling—while families experience a calmer, more reassuring MRI journey.
Pediatric MRI for every child and family, every time
- Comfortable and reassuring experiences: Pediatric MRI designed to reduce anxiety through child‑friendly preparation, guidance and a welcoming scan environment for children and families.
- Robust and precise imaging for confident decisions: Motion‑robust, high‑quality MRI supports reliable diagnosis across neuro, cardiac, body and lung imaging.
- Smooth and gentle process with minimal interventions: Free‑breathing and fast imaging help reduce the need for sedation, contrast and repeat scans.
- Early insights with quantitative biomarkers: Advanced MRI techniques deliver objective, quantitative information to support early diagnosis and treatment planning.
Innovations that make pediatric MRI simpler, safer and more accessible
- Ultra-light, flexible coils — SmartFit and InkSpace [4] adapt to a child’s size and anatomy, improving comfort and ensuring optimal image quality.
- Easy Scan Plan — Turns cardiac MR planning from six scans into one single-breathhold scan. This means faster exams, more patient access to cardiac MR.
- Accelerated imaging — SmartSpeed Precise, reducing scan time while maintaining detail [3].
- Non-contrast vascular — Arteriovenous TRANCE enables free-breathing, high-quality vascular imaging from neck to toe without contrast agents, making procedures safer for children.
- Novel biomarkers — 3D Smart Quant Neuro and Xenon-based MN imaging provide quantitative maps of brain myelination and lung function, giving clinicians early and objective insights.
Image gallery
- SmartSpeed Precise Fetal MRI imaging - Shorter scan time with high image quality
- SmartSpeed Precise Bowel MRI imaging. Shorter scan time with high image quality
- SmartSpeed Precise Total Body imaging. Shorter scan time with high image quality
- SmartSpeed Precise Elbow imaging. Shorter scan time with high image quality
- SmartSpeed Precise Long bone imaging. Shorter scan time with high image quality
- Fast AI-based quantitative infant MRI with SmartSpeed. Infant Myelination
Featured solutions for clinical pediatric MRI
Pediatric Coaching and Ambient Experience for calmer MRI exams
Philips Pediatric Coaching part of Ambient Experience, supports children throughout the MRI journey—from preparation at home with the Scan Buddy app, to guidance in the hospital with the Kitten scanner and during the scan with In-bore Connect. Child-friendly education, playful interaction, and immersive audio visual experiences help reduce anxiety, improve cooperation and support successful, scans, contributing to a more positive experience and increasing scan success in pediatric MRI.
BlueSeal Helium-free operations with SmartSpeed Precise dual-AI acceleration delivers improved access, quality, and efficiency
Philips BlueSeal 1.5T combines a helium free sealed magnet with proven 1.5T performance and SmartSpeed Precise acceleration to support high quality pediatric imaging. Faster scans and robust motion tolerant imaging help enable calmer exams, while reduced siting constraints and lower operational risk support efficient, sustainable pediatric radiology workflows.
Pediatric MR coils designed for comfort, fit and imaging confidence
Philips pediatric MR coil solutions combine dedicated dStream coils with flexible designs to support imaging from neonates to children. The dS Ped NeuroSpine and dS Ped Torso coils provide tailored coverage for small anatomies, while SmartFit and InkSpace [4] coils offer ultra‑light, flexible options that adapt to a child’s size and positioning needs. Together with the Pediatric Positioning Pack, they support consistent image quality, efficient workflows, and a child‑friendly MRI experience.
1/3
Enabling technologies
Frequently asked questions
Footnotes
- Compared to SENSE imaging, with no loss in image quality.
- Compared to conventional (SENSE / Compressed SENSE / SmartSpeed AI imaging. Sharpness was evaluated with phantom scanning.
- We are formally endorsing the "Image IntelliGently" Campaign led by the American College of Radiology® (ACR®). We wholeheartedly support the campaign's mission to ensure that AI in radiology is safe, equitable and reliable for children. We are aligned with the campaign's vision that: All pediatric patients will have access to clinically useful AI in radiology. The health of pediatric patients will be improved through the use of AI in radiology. We recognize the importance of this initiative. As the medical community leans more heavily into the use of AI for various applications, it is imperative that these technologies are not only safe and reliable but also tailored for their specific audiences. It is widely understood that children are not merely small adults; they have unique medical and developmental needs. Thus, AI tools developed for adults may not be suitable or accurate for pediatric patients.
- © 2025 InkSpace Imaging. All Rights Reserved. Compatible with all Philips 70 cm 3.0T systems with R13 software.
Disclaimer
Results are specific to the institution where they were obtained and may not reflect the results achievable at other institutions. Results in other cases may vary.