In a significant advancement for India’s healthcare technology sector, Bengaluru-based start-up VoxelGrids has successfully built the nation’s first fully indigenous MRI scanner. This achievement represents a crucial move toward lowering India’s reliance on imported diagnostic equipment and aligns strongly with the government’s push for locally manufactured, high-end medical technologies.
The newly developed 1.5-tesla MRI scanner by “VoxelGrids” has been installed at the Chandrapur Cancer Care Foundation near “Nagpur”. The project is the culmination of more than a decade of research and development led by founder “Arjun Arunachalam”, with the objective of designing and producing MRI systems entirely within India—an arena historically dominated by multinational corporations.
Unlike traditional MRI systems manufactured by global companies such as “Siemens” and “GE HealthCare”, the VoxelGrids scanner eliminates the need for liquid helium. This design change brings down production costs by nearly 40 per cent. In addition, the company has engineered compact and power-efficient electronics around the magnet while maintaining a standard bore size, resulting in reduced electricity usage and lower operational expenses for hospitals.
Expanding Access With Flexible Pricing
To make MRI technology more accessible, VoxelGrids plans to introduce pay-per-use pricing models. This allows healthcare providers to avoid heavy upfront investments and pay based on usage, a model particularly suited to small and medium-sized hospitals. The strategy addresses a pressing need, as India currently has approximately 5,000 MRI machines, translating to about 3.5 scanners per million people, underscoring a substantial diagnostic shortfall.
Important Facts for Exams
- MRI technology relies on strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate medical images.
- India remains heavily dependent on imported advanced medical devices.
- Over 90% of India’s MRI market revenue is controlled by the top five OEMs.
- Reducing or eliminating liquid helium significantly cuts MRI operational costs.
Production Capacity and Roadmap Ahead
VoxelGrids’ manufacturing facility in “Bengaluru” is presently capable of producing 20–25 MRI scanners per year. Supported by $5 million in funding from “Zoho”, the start-up is gearing up for a commercial rollout by the end of the current financial year. Looking ahead, the company aims to develop mobile and containerised MRI units and explore export opportunities after meeting domestic demand.
(Image is for representational purposes only and does not depict the actual product)