Polarean Imaging (POLX,) a UK-based medical imaging technology company, has announced the successful use of its XenoView technology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the US. 

XenoView is a hyperpolarised contrast agent, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating lung ventilation in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and above.

The first patient to undergo a clinical scan using XenoView was a 19-year-old male with cystic fibrosis. Cincinnati Children's expects to perform scans on several other patients who require the lung imaging provided by XenoView.

XenoView is an innovative technology that enables visualisation of lung ventilation without exposing patients to ionising radiation and its associated risks. The Polarean HPX Hyperpolarisation System creates a dose of XenoView that is administered in a single 10 to 15 second breath hold MRI procedure. 

Richard Hullihen, CEO of Polarean, said: "The first clinical scan in the United States is a significant milestone for Polarean and the XENOVIEW technology. This scan ushers in a new era of lung imaging, opening the door to the greater potential of MRI technology in pulmonary medicine.  We are in discussions with numerous other medical centers about the adoption of this novel technology and expect this ability to view lung ventilation more fully will be available at additional hospitals in the coming months."

View from Vox 

After Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center placed an order for the xenon Xe 129 hyperpolarised blend, capable of over 100 patient scans, Polarean has taken steps towards filling the gap for non-invasive diagnostic technology for chronic lung disease patients.

Following FDA clearance in late 2022, Polarean has worked to make its proprietary gas blend commercially available to sites with existing Xenon MRI infrastructure, including Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

In the US alone, more than 37 million people suffer from chronic lung disease. Contrast agents can be used to better understand and discern treatment paths for lung disease patients, leading to improved healthcare outcomes. There is a significant demand for non-invasive diagnostic technology, and XenoView can provide pulmonologists, surgeons, and respiratory specialists with regional maps of ventilation in their patients' lungs to help manage their disease.

The growing prevalence of long-term diseases has led to an increase in diagnostic imaging tests, including ultrasound, X-rays, and advanced imaging technology such as MRI and CT scans. This increased demand for diagnostic imaging procedures will in turn drive the market for contrast media, valued at $4.04 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand with a CAGR of 3.33% from 2022 to 2030.

Furthermore, Polarean is strategically targeting the largest market for contrast media globally, the US. This is driven by several factors, such as the growing aging population, resulting in a higher incidence of chronic diseases, and the government's significant investments in the medical imaging sector.

Polarean remains well-funded, with approximately $16m in cash at the end of 2022, to continue advancing XenoView across various stages of commercialisation in the US and beyond. 

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