For the Hospital’s full-time radiologists, Chairman Andrea Crowley, MD, Paul McGuire, MD, and Michael Waldman, MD, it’s an opportunity to support patients and their fellow physicians with one of the most advanced MRI systems available – and in use at major academic centers such as the Cleveland Clinic, the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The MRI will be operational by July 31.

“The new MRI will dramatically improve patient convenience,” said Dr. Crowley. “The patient-friendly design of this magnet will make it easier to have a MRI examination. Faster scans and higher quality images will reduce the need to interrupt and repeat exams.”

With two-thirds of American adults overweight, the health care industry is challenged to accommodate larger patients with imaging systems that were designed for people who weight much less. Claustrophobic patients present another challenge for MRI systems; they can be sedated, adding to their inconvenience and the time it takes to schedule and perform an exam. This new MRI provides advantages for larger and claustrophobic patients without compromising the quality of the images produced.

Siemens Medical Solutions designed this MRI to ensure that all patients have the same access to innovative medical imaging technology used for visualization, diagnosis and treatment planning of cancer, diabetes, heart and vascular disorders and other diseases associated with obesity. Claustrophobic patients present another challenge for MRI systems. They can be sedated, adding to their inconvenience and the time it takes to schedule and perform an exam. This MRI features a bore 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 1.5 Tesla magnet available. At four feet long, the magnet allows more than 60 percent of exams to be completed with the patient’s head and feet outside the bore, helping to ease claustrophobia.

The new system provides up to four times more signal-to-noise ratio over traditional open MRI designs, which is desirable in imaging larger patients. In addition, the Espree can perform advanced clinical applications in less time, because it combines strong gradient (incline) performance with Siemens’ Total imaging matrix (Tim™) technology. Tim technology offers the first whole-body surface coil design that enables the clearest images in the shortest time. Tim coils are very light, making them easy to position when scanning larger patients.

MRI fast facts

According to Dr. Crowley, the MAGNETOM Espree at New Milford Hospital provides best patient comfort and high-quality images and diagnostic confidence for all types of patients. Key benefits include:

Greater comfort with more head, leg and elbow room

Having your head completely outside of the magnet for 60 percent to 70 percent of studies

Ideal for claustrophobic and large patients (up to 550 lbs.)

Faster scan times (studies often completed in 15 minutes)

Date posted - 6/23/2010