MRI machines need thousands of liters of liquid helium to function. Health care workers say they can’t afford any disruptions to the helium supply chain.
Both Philips and Siemens Healthineers recently started selling alternatives to traditional MRI machines, which hold 1,700 to 1,800 liters of liquid helium and require constant replenishment.
Some models now require just 1 to 7 liters of helium and don’t need any replenishment.
That could mean a much lower usage, and a much longer timespan for the supply.
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According to the OP article:
That could mean a much lower usage, and a much longer timespan for the supply.
That would indeed be very helpful. But if all the other usages keep draining the supply, it will only help extend artificial reserves.