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• Special Focus •
Development status and prospect of liquid helium-free superconducting MRI technology: From resource dependence to independent controllability
YANG Fan  FU Haihong  YAN Dong  CHENG Xiaoguang 

DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.05.001.


[Abstract] Superconducting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) stands as a cornerstone of modern medical diagnostic imaging, having long relied on liquid helium for cooling its superconducting magnets. However, the global scarcity and uneven distribution of helium resources, coupled with China's high external dependence on helium, severely constrain its widespread adoption and sustainable development.Helium-free MRI technology eliminates the traditional superconducting magnet's dependence on liquid helium. Utilizing direct conduction cooling as its core principle, it replaces the liquid helium bath with integrated cryocoolers to directly cool the superconducting coils. The maturation and widespread adoption of helium-free superconducting MRI technology hinge on systematically addressing engineering challenges related to its reliability, lifecycle cost-effectiveness, and extension to higher field strengths. This paper analyzes the driving forces behind helium-free MRI technological development, outlines the evolutionary path from "liquid-helium-based" to "low-liquid-helium" and finally to "cryogen-free" systems, and highlights the application prospects of helium-free MRI technology. The aim of this study is to provide strategic insights for China to overcome the "bottleneck" constraints in high-end medical equipment, build a self-sufficient and controllable medical equipment industry chain, and contribute Chinese perspectives and pathways to the green and sustainable development of global MRI technology.
[Keywords] helium-free；magnetic resonance imaging；superconducting magnet；helium resources

YANG Fan1   FU Haihong2   YAN Dong1   CHENG Xiaoguang1*  

1 Department of Radiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100035, China

2 Department of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China

Corresponding author: CHENG X G, E-mail: xiao65@263.net

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2026-01-26
Accepted  2026-05-10
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.05.001
DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2026.05.001.

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