Mather Hospital has two high field MRIs that provide our patients with excellent image quality and short examination times – a 3T MRI and a 1.5T, short-bore MRI.
The 3 Tesla (3T) GE MRI (pictured) provides better detection of subtle lesions and clearer views of arteries and veins, often without the need for contrast injections. Typical procedures conducted with 3T MRI include neurological scans and musculoskeletal exams. It also has the ability to provide exceptional images of the prostate.
Mather’s high field 1.5T short-bore MRI is still the preferred platform for breast imaging and also used for patients who require sedation by the anesthesia team. Additionally, certain medical implants, such as stents, cannot be exposed to the higher magnet of the 3T and patients with such implants are best assessed in the 1.5T. The short-bore feature of the magnet gives a feeling of openness, without the limitations that come along with open MRI technology.
The 3T MRI, which can accommodate patients up to 350 pounds, is approximately 25 percent faster than a 1.5 Tesla system and its motion correction feature results in better images for patients who are unable to fully be still during the exams. A new imaging technique can provide a whole body scan that can be used for lymphoma patients to assess lesions on organs outside the lymph nodes.
MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of organs and tissues from within the body. 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 for the disease.