At ECR 2025, Bracco Imaging reaffirmed its position as a leading company in medical imaging by unveiling two major developments aimed at improving contrast media efficiency, reducing environmental impact and improving patient safety. The first groundbreaking initiative is the collaboration with Zereau to develop an innovative urine collection and filtration system that addresses the emerging concern of contrast agents in wastewater. The second highlight of the congress was the MRI symposium on Gadopiclenol (Vueway), which demonstrated how this novel gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA), thanks to its higher relaxivity compared with all the other available macrocyclic GBCAs, allows a reduced gadolinium dose and may contribute to reduce the release of gadolinium into the environment.
Understanding the Impact of Vueway
During one scientific session Dr. Alberto Spinazzi, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Regulatory Officer at Bracco Group, emphasized the importance of increased awareness regarding the responsible use of contrast agents. “It is crucial that Radiologists ask themselves before administering a contrast agent: Should we use a GBCA? And, if so, can we reduce the exposure of patients to gadolinium while maintaining the diagnostic accuracy of a contrast-enhanced MR procedure?” he stated. Dr. Spinazzi suggested to introduce the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle also for the use of GBCAs. Also, Dr. Spinazzi reported recent real-world data obtained in >850,000 patients to assess the safety of Vueway, showing extremely low rates of non-serious, adverse events (AEs), mostly mild and self-resolving, and not one single serious, life-threatening AE.
Prof. Dr Dr Günther Schneider, radiologist at the Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, introduced his experience with the ability of Vueway to maintain high diagnostic efficacy at a lower dose. “With Vueway, we are not only improving patient safety but also achieving enhanced diagnostic confidence,” he stated. Studies have demonstrated that Gadopiclenol provides an average of 1.8 to 2.4 times greater contrast-to-noise ratio in brain lesion imaging compared with the other macrocyclic GBCAs, significantly improving contrast enhancement and the diagnostic performance of MR examinations.
Maximizing MR Contrast Benefits with Vueway
Vueway is a novel macrocyclic, general-purpose GBCA, characterized by high stability and T1 relaxivity values 2.5-4 times higher than those of all the other macrocyclic GBCAs. It has been approved in 33 countries for use with MRI in a large number of indications at the dose of 0.05 mmol/kg, lower than that of all the other macrocyclic GBCAs, on the basis of large, prospective, multicenter, crossover, well-controlled individual clinical studies.
The main clinical benefit provided by the relaxivity of Vueway is the possibility to reduce the exposure of patients to gadolinium while maintaining a high diagnostic efficacy and reduce the release of gadolinium into the environment. “We are witnessing a fundamental change in the approach to contrast-enhanced MRI,” explained Dr Josef Vymazal, Department of Radiology at Na Homolce Hospital, Prague. “With Vueway, we can achieve excellent image quality while reducing patient exposure to gadolinium and minimizing environmental impact.”
The reduced exposure to gadolinium with the use of Vueway is important for all the patients referred to contrast-enhanced MRI, but especially for pediatric patients, patients with reduced renal function, and those requiring multiple procedures in their lifetime.
The benefit-risk profile of Vueway is extremely positive thanks to its high diagnostic efficacy, the possibility of reducing exposure to gadolinium, and a very low rate of AEs, the vast majority of which mild and self-resolving.
AI-powered Contrast Enhancement: The Role of AiMIFY
In addition to Vueway, Bracco showcased AiMIFY, an AI-powered software designed to optimize contrast-enhanced MRI scans of the brain. AiMIFY selectively enhances contrast-uptaking tissue, thus improving visibility of even small lesions. “This technology allows radiologists to achieve higher contrast enhancement without increasing patient exposure to gadolinium dose” explained Elena Magalotti, Global Brand Manager of Contrast Management and Digital Health at Bracco Imaging.
The AI-powered software has received FDA clearance for the US market in 2024 and MDR compliance is underway. “AiMIFY is an exclusive partnership between Bracco Imaging, a contrast imaging leader, and Subtle Medical, a pioneer in vendor neutral, AI-powered image acquisition” noted Magalotti. Furthermore, AiMIFY seamlessly integrates into existing imaging workflows, ensuring hospitals can adopt the technology without extensive modifications to their MRI systems.
Together, Vueway and AiMIFY set a new standard in MRI imaging, prioritizing patient safety, diagnostic excellence, and sustainability. “We are not just optimizing contrast usage — we are redefining what is possible in MRI,” stated Magalotti.
Addressing Contrast Media Waste: The Zereau Filtration Initiative
Bracco’s second major announcement at ECR 2025 focused on the company’s collaboration with Zereau BV to develop an innovative urine collection and filtration system for hospitals. This initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of iodine- and gadolinium-based contrast agents by capturing these substances before they enter wastewater systems.
“The presence of contrast agents in hospital wastewater is a growing point of attention,” explained Erik Bruno, Sustainability and Packaging innovation Manager at Bracco. “These substances are excreted by patients and enter sewage systems, ending in aquatic environments,” he stated. To tackle this, Bracco and Zereau have developed specialized filtration units for hospital restrooms. Patients receiving contrast-enhanced imaging are directed to dedicated toilets equipped with advanced filters that isolate and capture contrast agents before disposal.
Once collected, the contrast media can be safely extracted and potentially processed for raw materials recollection and reuse. Initial pilot studies hint to the conclusion that this filtration approach can remove almost all of excreted iodine-based contrast agents from urine before entering wastewater. “By scaling this solution across multiple hospitals, we can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of medical imaging,” emphasized Mattijs Maris, Chief Commercial Officer at Zereau. In the long term, this technology could also be expanded to other critical hospital waste materials to develop a more comprehensive, sustainable strategy for the disposal of medical substances to water and the environment.
The Future of Sustainable Imaging
Bracco’s dual focus on contrast optimization and environmental responsibility reflects a broader industry trend toward sustainable healthcare solutions. “Sustainability is no longer an option; it is a necessity,” stated Bruno. “By combining innovation in contrast media with responsible waste management, we are setting a new benchmark for the future of radiology.”
Through Vueway’s reduced-dose approach, AiMIFY’s AI-powered contrast enhancement, and Zereau’s filtration initiative, Bracco has reinforced its commitment to improving patient safety while reducing the ecological footprint of medical imaging. As hospitals and regulatory bodies increasingly prioritize sustainability, these advancements mark a pivotal step toward greener, more efficient diagnostic imaging practices.
