Imricor Medical Systems (ASX: IMR) has confirmed that Children’s Medical Center Dallas will become its second U.S. customer, adopting the NorthStar interventional magnetic resonance (iMR) mapping and guidance system. The commitment comes just two weeks after Imricor launched U.S. commercial operations and named Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego as its first customer.
Announced 10 August 2026, the outcome carries added strategic weight as the first commercial result of last week’s Philips Declaration of Compatibility. Imricor’s first two U.S. customers now span the two leading MRI vendor platforms, Siemens at Rady Children’s and Philips at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
Why the Philips lab win matters
Children’s Medical Center Dallas operates a Philips MRI scanner in its iMR lab, while Rady Children’s runs a Siemens system. Within two weeks of launch, Imricor now spans both leading platforms in the U.S. market.
The Philips Third Party Declaration of Compatibility has immediately expanded the Company’s addressable installed base, unlocking a portion of the U.S. hospital pipeline that was previously inaccessible. For investors, this converts theoretical cross-vendor compatibility into a real order rather than an abstract addressable market claim.
The Philips Declaration of Compatibility, issued just days before the Dallas commitment, cleared Imricor’s full iMR product suite across five Philips MR systems and four system upgrades, directly converting a portion of the previously inaccessible hospital pipeline into a reachable commercial opportunity.
Speed-to-revenue is a further advantage here. The hospital’s iMR lab is already built and fully operational, so no lab construction is required. Once NorthStar is installed, NorthStar-guided procedures can commence rapidly, shortening the path from sale to first procedure.
Steve Wedan, Chair and CEO
“Today also shows exactly why the Philips Declaration of Compatibility we announced last week matters. Just days later, NorthStar is headed into an existing Philips iMR lab. With our first two U.S. customers running Siemens and Philips systems respectively, NorthStar now spans the two leading MRI platforms, and the addressable pipeline in front of us has expanded accordingly.”
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Understanding interventional MR and radiation-free procedures
Interventional MR (iMR) involves performing cardiac catheterisation procedures under real-time MR guidance rather than under x-ray fluoroscopy guidance.
For children with congenital heart disease, the clinical difference is meaningful. NorthStar-guided procedures are 100% radiation-free, eliminating repeated ionising X-ray exposure from the earliest years of life. These patients may require multiple catheterisations over time, making the removal of cumulative radiation a significant benefit.
The technology also delivers superior soft-tissue visualisation and richer functional data during procedures. Key advantages of MR guidance over X-ray include:
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Eliminates ionising radiation exposure
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Superior soft-tissue visualisation
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Richer functional data during procedures
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Particularly valuable for paediatric patients requiring repeat catheterisations
This differentiated, globally unique technology platform is what drives adoption among leading hospitals and underpins Imricor’s commercial thesis.
A prestigious clinical partner validating the vertical
The calibre of the customer reinforces the strength of the endorsement. Children’s Medical Center Dallas is the flagship hospital of Children’s Health, one of the largest paediatric health care providers in the United States, and has served as the primary paediatric clinical partner of UT Southwestern Medical Center since 1961.
It will be the second customer under Imricor Cardiovascular, the vertical launched two weeks ago, validating the newly launched segment. The physicians at the hospital’s Heart Center have been at the forefront of cardiac magnetic resonance research for many years, positioning the program as a natural early adopter of NorthStar.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Licensed beds | 488 |
| Annual patient visits (system) | More than one million, drawing patients from all 50 states |
| U.S. News 2025–2026 ranking | No. 9 nationally for Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery |
| National ranking | Ranked in all 11 pediatric specialties for eight consecutive years |
| Academic partner | UT Southwestern Medical Center (since 1961) |
Professor Gerald Greil, MD, PhD, Chief of Cardiology and the Pogue Family Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center
“Interventional MR has been a cornerstone of our Heart Center’s innovation strategy. Working with Imricor allows our team to continue setting the pace for how congenital heart disease is treated in children and adults in the future.”
The investment case: momentum and market runway
Two of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals are now committed within two weeks of the U.S. launch, pointing to building commercial momentum behind the Imricor Cardiovascular vertical. The market opportunity remains substantial, spanning more than 250 children’s hospitals and more than 2,000 adult hospitals across the United States.
Several additional U.S. hospitals, both children’s and adult, remain in the final stages of the purchasing process, with additional NorthStar customers expected over the coming weeks. Notably, these advanced discussions are not limited to children’s hospitals, indicating broader appeal across the wider market.
Near-term watch points for investors include:
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Conversion of hospitals currently in final purchasing stages
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First NorthStar-guided procedures commencing at Dallas, accelerated by the pre-built lab
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Further Philips and Siemens platform wins expanding the addressable base
With a rapidly validating commercial thesis and a large, largely untapped U.S. addressable market, the coming weeks are set to test how quickly Imricor can convert its expanded pipeline into further orders.
For investors exploring what comes after the diagnostic vertical now gaining commercial traction, our dedicated guide to Imricor’s ablation PMA progress details the modular FDA submission pathway, the devices covered, and the remaining clinical data module that stands between Imricor and full ablation approval in the U.S.
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