The disruption in the global supply of helium because of the war in the Middle East and the severe restrictions on trade through the Gulf of Hormuz has begun to ring alarm bells in India’s healthcare sector, especially with regard to the cost of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and the installation of MRI machines.
Industry experts said the situation has not yet escalated into an outright shortage of helium, but supply disruptions, especially from Qatar, which supplies about a third of the world’s helium exports, have driven up prices significantly.
“Prices are now almost double of what they were before this war started,” an industry expert said, attributing the spike to a supply-demand imbalance rather than complete unavailability.
Why helium matters to MRI machines
Helium, a colourless, odourless, gas – the first of the six noble gases in the periodic table – is a non-renewable resource which, despite being the second most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, is rare on Earth.
Helium is produced commercially by extracting it from natural gas by a process known as cryogenic distillation. Qatar is the world’s third largest exporter of natural gas after the United States and Russia.
Helium is critical for operating MRI machines. Helium in its liquid state is used to cool the intensely powerful superconducting magnets that are at the heart of MRI machines.
The superconducting coils work at cryogenic temperatures, and helium, which is chemically inert and has the lowest boiling point of any element (minus 269 degrees Celsius), is the only practical coolant for these machines.
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Older MRI machines are the most vulnerable
While any disruption of supply chains including shipping constraints can have downstream effects on healthcare infra, experts in Delhi said the extent of the disruption depends significantly on the type of MRI systems that are involved.
The newer “helium-free” machines, which use minimal helium – often less than 10 litres – do not, for example, require refilling, and are largely unaffected. However the bulk of India’s installed base relies on traditional systems that require substantial quantities of helium.
Jitesh Mathur, Chief Revenue Officer, MedikaBazar, said MRI systems are classified into three categories: helium-free, zero boil-off, and non-zero boil-off systems.
“While helium-free systems are immune to supply disruptions, zero boil-off systems still require limited refilling of around 100-150 litres annually, and larger volumes during installation or emergencies,” Mathur said.
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“The older, non-zero boil-off systems are the most vulnerable, which may consume up to 600 litres of helium each year,” he said.
According to Mathur, the financial burden has risen sharply for the labs that have these older systems.
Labs are choosing to postpone the use of helium
On the ground, the stress has begun to show at hospitals and diagnostic centres. The managements of several labs in the city insisted that their MRI operations have not been impacted yet.
But officials of machine manufacturing companies said many facilities have begun to delay the non-essential refilling of helium, or to postpone new installations in the hope that there would be a resolution to the crisis and that prices would stabilize.
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A senior official of a company that manufactures MRI machines said that each machine may need up to 1,500 litres of helium during installation, and periodic refilling to maintain the stability of the magnet.
“It is not that you are not getting [helium]… but the demand-supply situation will keep pushing up prices,” the official said.
The postponement strategy, however, has its limits. If helium levels fall below critical thresholds – typically around 40% – the functioning of the magnet can be jeopardised.
If the war continues, consequences could mount
If the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opened soon and supply chains don’t start moving towards normalisation, wider consequences could follow, experts said: increased costs for patients, delays in MRI installations, and potential shutdowns of machines that cannot be refuelled in time.
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“If it sustains…a few of the systems that need helium refuelling can go out of operation,” the official from the MRI manufacturing company said.
According to this official, of the 5,000-odd MRI machines in the country, only about 100-150 are fully “helium-free” systems.
“Roughly 3,500 machines fall under zero boil-off technology, requiring smaller quantities of helium for maintenance. Another 1,000 are older, non-zero boil-off systems with significantly higher annual consumption,” the official said.
Around 250 new MRI machines are installed every year in the country, which, due to the initial helium requirement of up to 1,500 litres per machine, adds up to a substantial annual demand for the element, the official said.
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The current increase in the prices of helium has hit the smaller players harder. This is because the larger hospitals and diagnostic chains often have service contracts that include helium supply, which insulates them from immediate cost pressures.
The smaller facilities, especially those using refurbished or pre-owned MRI machines are, by contrast, more vulnerable. These operators typically procure helium independently and are facing higher costs and logistics challenges, including limited supplier availability.
The crisis is also influencing long-term purchase decisions. While helium-free MRI systems have been available for years, their adoption has been limited due to higher upfront costs.
Now, with supply uncertainties and price volatility, healthcare providers may increasingly consider transitioning to these systems.
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“The customer may look at the risk, and that may nudge them towards the helium-free MRI solution,” the industry expert said.
But by and large, there is no immediate cause for worry
Other experts assured that there was no reason for immediate panic. Dr Harsh Mahajan, a leading radiologist and founder of Mahajan Imaging, said that modern MRI systems are designed to minimise helium loss.
“If three years ago the helium in my machine was at 80% level, today it will still be at the 80% level,” he said, underlining the efficiency of zero boil-off technology.
Helium, Dr Mahajan said, is not a regularly consumed resource in such systems, and is required only during the occasional maintenance events, such as replacement of specific components every few years.
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“There is no cause for alarm,” Dr Mahajan said. Most diagnostic centres were operating without disruptions, he said.
Mathur agreed that the newer, factory-built MRI machines require very little helium and do not need refilling after installation.
“As of now, there is no shortage at all, especially for facilities that are using advanced systems. However, new installations could face delays due to the need for large initial helium volumes,” he said.
