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The events took place during the New Year holiday season. The clinic was closed for the holidays from December 31st to January 3rd. Only a security guard was on-site, who had no access to the MRI technical room and was not trained to check the status of the cryo system.
When we discuss the operational stability of a GE Healthcare MRI, the focus is usually on the magnet itself. However, experienced engineers know that the fate of expensive liquid helium and the continuity of patient schedules depend on an external unit: the chiller.
In 2026, the MRI industry is facing a reality that analysts call “Helium Shortage 4.0.” Liquid helium has ceased to be a mere technical gas. It is now a strategic asset—”blue gold”—whose price is soaring while its availability plummets.
