Our Story Continued..

Following proof of concept in Winnipeg, the high-field iMRI program was initiated in Calgary. The prototype system was built, tested and used for the first time in neurosurgery on December 4, 1997. A spinoff company designed to distribute the technology, IMRIS Inc., was established in 1997 and the unique technology was patented. In June 2008 the 1.5T iMRI system was decommissioned after participating in over 1000 neurosurgeries. Thanks to additional funding from Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, Western Economic Diversification and from the Calgary Health Trust, the system has been upgraded to a 3.0T magnetic platform- another world-first. It continues to provide unique opportunities for research, training and patient care at the Foothills Medical Centre.

The introduction of MRI to the OR presented a disruption to the rhythm of surgery. Surgery had to be paused while real-time images of the patient’s brain were being acquired. It was at this time when Dr. Garnette Sutherland asked the question, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could continue to operate while images are being taken, in the bore of the magnet…?”

And thus began the trans-Canada unified collaborative enthusiasm to realize neuroArm from concept to a state-of-the-art robot for brain surgery! Once again, thanks to the generous support and trust of Calgary philanthropic community (now expanding across Canada and beyond), leveraged through a large fund raising campaign across the province and nation (Western Economic Diversification and Canada Foundation for Innovation, to name a few), neuroArm came to life - the world’s first image-guided MR compatible robot for microsurgery and stereotaxy, with a proud heritage in space robotics. As MDA began the design and build process shadowing Dr. Sutherland learning about the nuances of surgical finesse and the OR environment, the project spun-off multiple other technological innovations, particulalry in sensor technology, control mechanics, software and communications to name a few.

Here in Calgary, in addition to bringing neuroArm home to the Foothills Medical Centre, a Calgary-based company neuroArm Surgical Ltd. (later merged with IMRIS Inc.) was created. More importantly, this marked the birth of Project neuroArm, a world class Medical Robotics Program here at the University of Calgary! As only time would tell, for Project neuroArm team, the delivery of neuroArm to the university (2007) and its integration in the OR (2008), Canada’s unique gift and inspiration to the world of surgical robotics, was only a beginning….