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Official medical systems partner to FC Barcelona

Since 2015, Canon Medical Systems has been the ‘Official Medical Systems Partner’ to FC Barcelona. This marks the first partnership of its kind with a football club of “La Liga BBVA”.

 

Our agreement involves the provision of a range of new and exciting technologies including an MRI system with Advanced intelligent Clear-IQ Engine (AiCE), a suite of ultrasound solutions and a digital X-ray system to aid in the prevention and management of sports injuries.

By partnering with FC Barcelona, one of the world's top performing clubs, we aim to enhance healthcare for elite and young athletes - not only in football but in all sports in which FC Barcelona participates, including amateur sports. This collaboration between Canon Medical and FC Barcelona reflects our shared values as well as demonstrates our mutual commitment to pioneering advanced solutions for the sporting community and beyond.

View the official announcement on the FC Barcelona page

Expansion of Sports Medicine Contributes to General Patient Care

Canon Medical not only supports the health management of the professional athletes, but we also trying to generate knowledge that can be brought to general patients.

Dr. Gil Rodas from Barça Innovation Hub and the Medical Service Team of Football Club Barcelona, Spain, has shared his view on the importance of diagnostic imaging in professional sports and how these insights in sports medicine can benefit everyone in the world.

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“The relationship between FC Barcelona and Canon Medical is very strong. In fact, at FC Barcelona, we benefit from confidence and comfort. We can have the scan very close to our fields where the players have training. This allows us to perform an MRI within minutes after an injury, gaining time to make an accurate diagnosis."

 

Dr. Sandra Mecho

Radiologist

SCIAS Hospital de Barcelona, Spain

Collaborative research with Barça Innovation Hub

The Barça Innovation Hub is committed to fostering new heights in the sports industry by pushing the boundaries of what is possible for athletes. The Hub not only acts as a centre of core research, but also to bring innovation and its real applications to their club and sports industry as a whole.

Canon Medical is collaborating with Barça Innovation Hub to develop ground-breaking sports medicine solutions that can aid in the prevention and diagnosis of critical injuries both on and off the pitch.

Through our partnership, over 12 studies on musculoskeletal injuries (MSK) have been published to date. The knowledge gained from these studies is applied to the diagnosis and treatment of both professional athletes and the general public.

Publications collaborated with FCB
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Optimising Return-to-Play: How FC Barcelona uses advanced imaging for injury management

Muscle injuries are the most common sports injuries in football and other team sports, presenting significant management challenges. For return-to-play decisions, the critical question is when a player can compete again. At FC Barcelona, decisionmaking is enhanced by the latest MRI Vantage Galan 3T, which improves diagnosis and prognosis. Fast and high-quality imaging aids in better injury management and optimizes return-to-play timing for players.

MRI Vantage Galan 3T at FC Barcelona imaging centre MRI Vantage Galan 3T at FC Barcelona imaging centre

Fast and easy MRI access for immediate injury response

At FC Barcelona, the imaging centre is located close to the training fields and courts. This means that when players are injured they can immediately receive MRI or Ultrasound scans after clinical evaluation, enabling timely treatment decisions and better recovery outcomes.

Achieve higher spatial resolution with shorter acquisition time using AiCE

For professional athletes, detailed imaging is crucial. The installation of MRI Vantage Galan 3T with AiCE helps to reduce the scan time at FC Barcelona. AiCE offers better signal contrast, allowing for the detection of muscle injuries in the hyper-acute phase and improving spatial resolution in joints like the knee, ankle, foot, and groin. Enhanced diagnosis and prognosis of muscle injuries contribute to a quicker recovery for players and helps them maintain their best performance.

Our solutions for optimized decision- making from injury to recovery

Ultrasound

  • Improves visualization of the microvasculature with SMI
  • High frequency transducers up to 33MHz provide fine detail in the near field, enabling sub-millimeter imaging
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Magnetic Resonance

  • Visualizes tiny structures and details during movement
  • Increases matrix size, removes noise, and delivers sharp anatomical images with PIQE
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X-ray

  • Ensures safety under various conditions, allowing quick diagnosis of injuries in diverse locations with ease of maneuverability, operation, and compactness.
  • The flat panel technology optimizes dose and image quality, eliminating the need for conventional methods, while its waterproof and dustproof design ensures safety under various conditions.
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