Development of superconducting magnet for high-field MR systems in China

In this paper we describe the development of superconducting magnets for high-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by various businesses and institutions in China. As the Chinese MR market rapidly expands, many foreign and domestic companies and research institutions are joining the race to meet the burgeoning demand by developing key MRI components for various magnetic field configurations. After providing a brief introduction to research on MRI superconducting magnets that dates back to the 1980s, the first large-bore 1.5 T superconducting magnet with 50-cm DSV for whole-body MRI successfully developed and manufactured by AllTech Medical Systems in Chengdu, China-is presented and its specifications are described. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.