First Posted: 2/17/2015
LIMA — It’s not every day folks can get an inside look at not only their bones but their heart, veins, brain and arteries.
With an MRI on hand, however, it’s fairly easy for radiologists at Lima Memorial Health System to do, especially since they just got an upgrade.
In September 2014, the department got the Hitachi Oasis 1.2 T (tesla). The unit they had before lasted for about 14 years before “it died on us,” said Melvin Patrick, director of radiology,
Looking for replacements, he and representatives from the hospital visited units across the country.
“We made the decision to look at newer technology,” he said.
With experience working with the Hitachi in a previous job, the crew already leaned toward the unit.
As an open-air unit, there’s a magnet under and over the patient that have the ability to assess any part of the patient’s body and increases accessibility. How long the scan takes to complete, however, depends on the extent of what needs to be pictured and the part of the body.
Compared to older editions, it has a much stronger magnet, which creates better, more clear images, paired with new technology and software enabling radiologists to observe details or parts of the body not previously scannable.
“It’s far more superior,” Patrick said. “We can do a lot more than we used to.”
The new unit also reduces that amount of contrast in images, making veins, the aorta or other major arteries much more visible. With the technology, doctors are able to more easily distinguish clots in the system without the need of dye injections, which could be risky for patients with certain health problems, such as kidney disease. It can also be used to help detect tumors or cancers.
“It’s like getting a snapshot of someone’s body,” Patrick said.
In the market for about four years, production of these units is very limited, since it’s truly an open MRI. The amount of units available in the state or country are also extremely limited.
“We’re the only game in town,” Patrick said. “It really is one of a kind.”
