The Siemens MAGNETOM Vida Eco: One of the Most Advanced MRI Systems
The Siemens MAGNETOM Vida represents one of the most advanced MRI platforms currently used in clinical medicine.
Key technological features include:
1. Extremely homogeneous 3-Tesla magnet
The scanner delivers highly uniform magnetic fields across a large imaging volume, which improves image clarity even in difficult anatomical regions such as the pelvis.
2. Powerful gradients for advanced imaging
With gradient strengths up to 60 mT/m and 200 T/m/s, the system enables extremely detailed diffusion imaging—an essential component of modern prostate MRI.
3. Deep-learning image reconstruction
New reconstruction technologies accelerate scans and improve image sharpness simultaneously.
4. Faster examinations
Advanced acceleration technologies can significantly shorten scan times while maintaining diagnostic quality.
5. Personalized imaging with BioMatrix technology
The system automatically adapts to individual patient anatomy, reducing variability and improving reproducibility of scans.
Together, these innovations make the Vida one of the most powerful MRI systems available for prostate imaging and cancer staging.
Why High-Quality MRI Is Critical for Focal Therapy
At VITUS Privatklinik, the goal is not simply to detect prostate cancer, but to treat it as precisely and minimally invasively as possible.
This is the principle behind focal therapy.
Instead of removing the entire prostate, focal therapy aims to target the tumor while preserving healthy tissue.
Our therapeutic options include:
- Irreversible Electroporation (IRE / Nanoknife)
- Electrochemotherapy (ECT)
- IR-ECT (IRE combined with ECT)
- Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
- combinations with immunotherapy
All of these therapies rely on precise imaging.
High-resolution MRI helps us:
- precisely locate the tumor within the prostate
- define the exact treatment area
- avoid unnecessary damage to surrounding structures
- plan treatment trajectories
- monitor results after therapy
In other words, the better the imaging, the more precise and organ-preserving the treatment can be.
MRI and Immunological Treatment Concepts
At VITUS Privatklinik, focal therapy is often combined with systemic treatment strategies, particularly immunotherapy.
Many focal therapies we use — such as IRE, ECT, and PDT — are non-thermal.
Instead of destroying tissue with heat, they disrupt cancer cells in ways that can release tumor antigens.
This can stimulate immune responses and potentially enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
High-quality MRI is essential for identifying the right treatment targets and monitoring how tumors respond over time.
- detect suspicious lesions in the prostate
- determine whether cancer is clinically significant
- plan focal therapies precisely
Advanced Diagnostics and Treatment in One Specialized Center
Prostate cancer treatment benefits from close integration between diagnostics and therapy.
At VITUS Privatklinik, prostate MRI is not just a diagnostic tool — it is part of a comprehensive treatment strategy that includes:
- advanced imaging
- MRI-guided diagnostic evaluation
- focal therapies such as IRE, ECT, IR-ECT and PDT
- immunological treatment strategies when appropriate
The installation of the Siemens Vida Eco 3T MRI system further strengthens this integrated approach and allows us to provide even more precise, patient-focused prostate cancer care.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
A 3-Tesla MRI (3T MRI) is a magnetic resonance imaging scanner with a magnetic field strength of 3 Tesla, which is significantly stronger than the older and still common 1.5 Tesla systems.
The stronger magnetic field produces a higher signal-to-noise ratio, which allows doctors to generate sharper and more detailed images of the prostate. This improved image quality helps detect prostate cancer more reliably and assess the exact location and extent of tumors.
For patients, this means
- better treatment planning
- a more accurate diagnosis
- better assessment of tumors
Modern prostate cancer diagnostics rely heavily on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI).In der modernen Prostatadiagnostik spielt die multiparametrische MRT (mpMRT) eine zentrale Rolle.
MRI can help doctors:
- detect suspicious lesions in the prostate
- determine whether cancer is clinically significant
- assess whether the tumor extends beyond the prostate capsule
- guide targeted biopsies
- plan focal therapies precisely
High-quality MRI is therefore an essential step in deciding whether treatment is necessary and which therapy is most appropriate.
In the past, prostate MRI examinations often required an endorectal coil (German: Endorektalspule). This small probe was inserted into the rectum to improve image quality, especially with older MRI scanners.
With modern 3-Tesla MRI systems, this is usually no longer necessary.
The stronger magnetic field and improved external coil technology already provide very high signal strength and image resolution, allowing excellent prostate imaging without inserting a rectal probe.
For patients, this means the examination is generally more comfortable and less invasive while still maintaining excellent diagnostic quality.
At VITUS Privatklinik, MRI plays a crucial role in planning focal therapies, which aim to treat the tumor while preserving as much healthy prostate tissue as possible.
Using detailed MRI images, doctors can:
- precisely locate the tumor
- determine its size and boundaries
- identify nearby critical structures such as nerves or the urethra
- plan the exact treatment area
This is essential for therapies such as:
- Irreversible Electroporation (IRE / Nanoknife)
- Electrochemotherapy (ECT)
- IR-ECT (IRE combined with ECT)
- Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
The better the imaging, the more precise and organ-preserving the treatment can be.
MRI cannot replace a biopsy, but it is very effective at identifying areas suspicious for clinically significant prostate cancer.
Modern MRI techniques such as
- diffusion-weighted imaging
- dynamic contrast imaging
allow radiologists to detect patterns associated with aggressive tumors.
MRI findings are usually evaluated using the PI-RADS classification system, which helps determine the likelihood that a suspicious lesion represents clinically significant cancer.
This helps doctors decide whether a targeted biopsy or treatment is necessary.