Patients who once feared going into the tube of the magnetic resonance imager (MRI) will now be able to undergo an open procedure with a little more ambiance.
WVU recently invested $2.5 million in the state’s only high-field Open MRI with a strength of 1.0 tesla. High-field magnets provide more detailed images and range in strength from 1.0 to 1.5 tesla. The Philips manufactured technology purchased by WVU equals the functioning of the 1.5 tesla unit because its movable bed positions the patient underneath the isocenter of the magnet.
Cathy Bierer, RT(R)MR, MRI manager for the WVU Department of Radiology’s Center for Advanced Imaging, said the open unit is ideal for pediatric patients as well as those who are claustrophobic or large-bodied. The equipment can accommodate anyone weighing 1 to 550 lbs.
WVU’s Open MRI also includes an ambient experience function, which allows patients to choose video and audio experiences that are projected onto the wall of the MRI room. Patients can select one of 10 ambient options which combine colored lighting, pictures and sounds into themes including real places such as Australia and Africa and kid-friendly themes like the jungle and underwater.
Bierer said the ambient experience was an additional option purchased to provide patients with a more comfortable experience that will help them relax during the scan. The openness of the machine combined with the sights and sounds make the MRI friendlier to pediatric patients. It also helps reduce the need for sedation in children.
Dr. Jeff Carpenter, medical director of the MRI Center, said in some cases parents can accompany their children during the study with the Open MRI.
For claustrophobic patients, Carpenter said the ability to see out of the machine helps them feel "less confined." When patients are comfortable and relaxed, they move less, providing better quality images.
"It’s the perfect magnet," Carpenter said.
The Open MRI joins the center’s four other units, which range in strength from 1.5 to 3.0 tesla.
A public open house will be held on April 13. The center will begin scheduling appointments on April 14.
To schedule an appointment, call 304-293-7521.