DMH’s new Toshiba Excelart Vantage 1.5T MRI System available September 2010.
Toshiba's Excelart Vantage 1.5T MRI System offers fast and comfortable
exams that you will appreciate. It has ultra-short and ultra-wide-bore
system with adjustable lighting and ventilation to ease claustrophobia.
This system delivers high-resolution images across the entire body with
faster imaging times. This enables physicians to make quick and
accurate diagnosis. Its unique design features such as its
integrated coil concept allows physicians to perform multiple
examinations without repositioning the patient. This will result
in more comfortable exams and enhanced work flow. This machine has
also been equipped with the Pianissimo technology to eliminate up to 90%
of acoustic noise to provide even more comfort.
This system addresses our need to make patients more comfortable while
delivering outstanding clinical images for an accurate diagnosis.
MRI
Films
Definition:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues within your body.
Most MRI machines are large, tube-shaped magnets. When you lie inside an MRI machine, the magnetic field temporarily aligns all the water molecules in your body. Radio waves cause these aligned particles to produce very faint signals, which are used to create cross-sectional MRI images — like slices in a loaf of bread.
The MRI machine can combine these slices to produce 3-D images that may be viewed from many different angles
Why it’s done:
MRI is a noninvasive way for your doctor to examine your organs, tissues and skeletal system. It produces high-resolution images that help diagnose a variety of problems.
MRI of the brain and spinal cord MRI is the most sensitive imaging test of the brain and spinal cord. It's often performed to help diagnose:
- Tumors
- Developmental abnormalities
- Aneurysms
- Stroke
- Pituitary gland diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- Dementia progression
- Spinal cord injuries
Functional MRI of the brain (fMRI) can be used to identify important language and movement control areas in the brain in people who are being considered for brain surgery.
MRI of the heart and blood vessels An MRI that focuses on the heart or blood vessels can assess:
- The size and thickness of walls in the heart's chambers
- The extent of damage caused by heart attack or heart disease
- The buildup of plaques and blockages in the blood vessels
- Structural problems in the aorta, such as aneurysms or dissections
MRI of other internal organs
An MRI may be used to check for tumors or other abnormalities of the:
- Lungs
- Liver
- Kidneys
- Spleen
- Pancreas
- Uterus
- Ovaries
- Prostate
- Testicles
MRI of bones and joints
MRI may be used to help evaluate:
- Joint disorders, such as arthritis
- Joint abnormalities caused by traumatic or repetitive injuries
- Disk abnormalities in the spine
- Bone infections
MRI of the breasts
MRI may be used in addition to mammography to detect breast cancer, particularly
in women who have dense breast tissue or who may be at high risk of the disease.
Risks:
For most individuals, there are no known harmful effects from exposure to the magnetic field or radio waves used in making MRI images
How to Prepare:
Before an MRI exam, eat normally and continue to take your usual medications, unless otherwise instructed. You will be asked to change into a gown and to remove:
- Jewelry
- Hairpins
- Eyeglasses
- Watches
- Wigs
- Dentures
- Hearing aids
- Underwire bras
The presence of metal in your body may be a safety hazard or affect a portion of the MRI image. Tell the technologist if you have any metal or electronic devices in your body, such as:
- Metallic joint prostheses
- Artificial heart valves
- An implantable heart defibrillator
- A pacemaker
- Metal clips to prevent aneurysms from leaking
- Cochlear implants
- A bullet, shrapnel or any other type of metal fragment
Also tell the technologist if you think you're pregnant, because the effects of magnetic fields on fetuses aren't well understood. Your doctor may recommend choosing an alternative exam or postponing the MRI.
It's also important to discuss any kidney or liver problems with your physician and the technologist, because problems with these organs may impose limitations on the use of injected contrast agents during your scan.