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Traditional imaging systems were designed for people who weigh much less than today's American adults, two-thirds of whom are overweight.
Let's face it. Traditional MRI exams bother some patients.
Obese people may fit too tightly--or not fit at all--into the machine's "bore" (opening).
Others experience claustrophobia or anxiety.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has addressed those concerns by installing an advanced MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) system that combines a larger and shorter bore with the ability to capture high-quality diagnostic images.
The system's patient-friendly design makes it easier for large patients and those with claustrophobia to have an MRI examination, yet still benefit from the same outstanding image quality as with smaller closed bore MRI systems.
Fewer exams will need to be interrupted or repeated.
Wendy R.K. Smoker, MD, professor of radiology and co-director of MRI, says the new technology increases efficiency and patient convenience.
"It also makes innovative medical imaging technology used for detection, diagnosis, and treatment planning of cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular disorders and other diseases, available to more patients," she says.
Previously, patients too large to fit inside the bore of a high-field MRI magnet had their imaging studies performed in open MRI systems with low-field magnets and limited diagnostic capabilities. Too often, the result was an MRI of limited clinical value. The field strength of a magnet is measured in units of Tesla -- the higher the number, the higher the field strength. Higher field strength MRI scanners produce images of superior diagnostic quality and offer a broader range of high-end clinical applications.
Claustrophobic patients present another challenge for MRI systems. They might require sedation, adding to their inconvenience and the time it takes to schedule and perform an MRI.
The Siemens MAGNETOM Espree system installed at UI Hospitals and Clinics is the world's first high performance 1.5T Open Bore MRI. It features an opening of nearly 2.3 feet in diameter and almost one foot of free space between a patient's head and the magnet.
The Espree also features the shortest bore of any 1.5 Tesla magnet available. About four feet long, the magnet allows more than 60 percent of exams to be completed with the patient's head outside the bore, helping to ease claustrophobia and anxiety.
--Tom Moore |
