Simplified image shows the MRI device tailored for radiation therapy planning. / Courtesy SciMedix

By Noh Hyun-gi

A Korean medical instrument company has become the first to commercialize an MRI device for radiation treatment planning for cancer patients. Jang Yong-ju, CEO of SciMedix, announced Sunday that the will go on sale in May.

This will become an alternative to CT, or computed tomography, scanning, which is in wide use for localizing tumor sites before radiation therapy.

Devised specifically for identifying malignant cells, the magnetic resonance imaging can provide more accurate imaging of soft tissues compared to CT scans. Also, MRI can be used for children and pregnant mothers who can’t undergo multiple CT scans, as the procedure emits 10mSv, radiation comparable to 100 chest X-ray scans (0.1 -0.3 mSv).

In some cases, tertiary care units have been using a combination of CT scans and general MRI to plan radiation sessions.

The product patent was granted in Korea in January. SciMedix applied for the patent in the United States and Europe.

SciMedix will conduct clinical trial with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in the U.S.