TechMed Imaging Facilities
TechMed Imaging Facilities
TechMed Imaging offers advanced facilities that simulate real clinical environments, including functional operating theatres and imaging suites. Combined with high-tech labs and IT infrastructure for data and usability research, it provides a unique setting to test and validate new imaging technologies before clinical use. The same infrastructure also allows for a unique breeding ground for research & development of novel, hybrid imaging technologies. By integrating research, education, and innovation, the facility fosters close collaboration between clinicians, researchers, and industry — accelerating the translation of medical imaging innovations into practice and improving patient outcomes.
Infrastructure and User Services
We provide access to a broad range of medical imaging modalities: from point-of-care systems to advanced research equipment, all housed within realistic, simulated clinical environments. Our facilities support both research and education involving healthy volunteers and patients, always within a controlled research setting. We also offer guidance on regulatory compliance (including MDR) and research ethics.
As the lab is not a clinical care facility, it is fully accessible to researchers, innovators, and educators, offering a flexible and compliant environment for advancing medical imaging technologies.
Currently, the facilities include:
- Imaging suite containing
- Esaote G-scan brio 0.25T MRI system
- Siemens Magnetom Aera 1.5T MRI system with Siemens Access-I for third party hardware integration
- Support infrastructure like contrast injectors
- Experimental Photoacoustics diagnostic system
- Experimental Breast CT imaging system
- Two operating theatres equipped with
- Live dosimetry
- Siemens Artis Pheno angiography system
- Siemens Elara Max diagnostic X-ray system (bucky)
- 4 diagnostic laboratories equipped with
- Siemens Acuson S2000/S3000 ultrasound systems
- Verasonics research ultrasound systems
- Point-of-care handheld US
- Various physiological measurement systems (EMG/EEG/telemetry etc)
- Phantom lab infrastructure for development and characterization of advanced imaging phantoms
- Includes handling of animal materials
- 3d print facilities (both resin and extrusion printers)
- Standard workshop equipment for rapid prototyping
- Various flow setups for real-time flow imaging
Future plans include expansion of the phantom lab activities, replacement of the Esaote G-scan brio MRI system (LSRI proposal submitted together with UMCU), and implementation of new hybrid imaging modalities.
Examples/description of the type of research
We facilitate translational research on both existing and new medical imaging modalities, and of supporting technologies that rely on interaction with these medical imaging modalities. This includes research on AI decision support tools, interventional robotics and development of new hybrid imaging technologies together with industrial partners.
Our simulated medical facilities (operating theatres, imaging suites etc) offer realistic, controlled and safe R&D environments where researchers and innovators can test and co-develop their innovations in a fully functional environment. This allows for early stage involvement of end users in the development process of these innovations. Further on in the innovation funnel, we support transition of research to one of our clinical partner sites (RadboudUMC,umc, UMCG primarily). In terms of TRL levels: we focus on TRL 3-7, with transfer to the clinic for first-in-man studies.
How to access the infrastructure ?
We are able to serve a wide variety of end users, depending on their needs and expertise. After initial intake (including check on intended purpose, required capabilities, expectations, and check on knowledge safety issues and potential conflict of interests) and training, users obtain access to the workshops, operating theatres and imaging modalities. When training time or cost become too prohibitive for users to efficiently use our facilities, we facilitate supervised access with our support staff. For studies involving human subjects, we support obtaining WMO approval from a medical ethical review board, or the UT’s internal ethical review committee.