New Wide MRI for Patient Comfort
Fauquier Health is the first in the area to offer the large bore MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) system that offers a much wider bore (opening) for larger or claustrophobic patients. The new MRI was available for the first time on Sunday, May 16, and the response from patients was overwhelming.
James Koepke, M.D., diagnostic radiologist for Virginia Radiology Associates, is enthusiastic about the new equipment. “The Sunday time slot is going to be great, especially for those who work long hours in Washington, D.C.”
MRI uses radio waves to produce images of the brain and body. The pictures can reveal delicate structures in the spinal cord, the head and brain, the soft tissues around and in joints and many other organs such as the kidneys and liver. Before wide bore technology, patients too large to fit inside the opening of a high-field MRI magnet would have their imaging exam performed in an open MRI system that used low-field strength magnets and therefore produced lower-quality images. Claustrophobic patients present another challenge for MRI systems. The large bore allows for maximum space between the magnet and the patient’s head. And with the shortest front to back magnet width, most of the exam is done with the patient’s head clear of the magnet area. This high-quality scan takes significantly less time than other open MRI systems, so patients are in and out faster.
The medical imaging department offers conventional MRI technology as well, which can accommodate most patients.
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