An MRI is something that most people have to have at some point during their lives. For some, it’s a relatively easy experience that is over quickly and gives them the answers they need. For others, just thinking about the process involved elicits feelings of anxiety. If you are in need of an MRI, and you struggle with claustrophobia or generalized anxiety, our practice has good news for you. MRI’s at Intermountain Medical Imaging just got more comfortable with our recently installed Siemens 1.5T MRI scanner.
This new scanner has a 70 cm opening and an ultra-short bore. The wide opening means that the tube-like area where patients lie during the imaging process is much bigger reducing the closed-in, claustrophobic feeling of a traditional MRI. Along with the wider opening, this scanner’s short bore allows patients to receive their exam with their heads outside of the machine in many cases. It is also equipped with Quiet Suite, which reduces the noise level that is typically experienced during an exam.
Shane McGonegle, MD—a musculoskeletal radiologist with Gem State Radiology—says, “The wider opening combined with the ultra-short bore allows for the scanning of a wide variety of patients. This is very beneficial when working with claustrophobic patients, pediatric patients, or patients in extreme discomfort.” And if the anxiety-reducing features of our new scanner weren’t enough to make you feel confident about receiving an exam, the fact that the Magnetom Aera 1.5T MRI is faster and delivers exceptional quality in imaging should help.
Patients can count on enjoying the most comfortable MRI experience currently available while receiving reliable, high-quality results in very little time!
