New MRI is faster, clearer, better
When Al Kerestes, manager of radiology services for Overlook Medical Center, describes the hospital’s new MAGNETOM Vida MRI from Siemens Healthineers as “disruptive technology,” he means it in the very best way. That’s because the 3 Tesla scanner, the most powerful of its kind, is redefining MRI with its unparalleled imaging capabilities. “From a physician’s point of view, they are seeing images they have never seen before,” he says. This higher quality of images translates into improved diagnostic capabilities, and the improved imaging time, 25 percent faster than a standard MRI of the same field strength, translates into a better patient experience.
Since coming online at Overlook a few months ago, the MAGNETOM Vida has been instrumental in biopsies and tumor staging, cardiac imaging and planning complex neurological surgeries. The MAGNETOM Vida uses BioMatrix Technology to embrace the unique set of challenges each patient brings to the MRI exam.
“The scanner detects the patient's breathing pattern, automatically making the procedure much easier for the patient,” says Kerestes. The MAGNETOM Vida also builds an algorithm to figure out each patient’s lung volume, which minimizes the need for breath holding during abdominal, cardiac and chest imaging. With traditional MRI, patients must do long breath holds, which can be uncomfortable and, in some cases, not possible. Overcoming patient variability results in higher-quality, more personalized exams and reduces the need for rescans.
In addition to enhanced performance, the MAGNETOM Vida provides enhanced comfort for patients. The wide-bore opening provides better airflow and can accommodate patients up to 550 pounds. There is also the option of silent scanning, which eliminates the loud banging noises typically associated with MRI. Ambient technology allows patients to select colors and pictures that they find soothing; these can be projected onto the unit itself or onto the room’s walls.
As the first hospital on the East Coast to debut the MAGNETOM Vida, Overlook has distinguished itself as a luminary site for Siemens Healthineers. As a result, Overlook may have opportunities to participate in select clinical trials being done by large academic institutions.
“We are pioneering new ground with this machine,” says Kerestes. As the MAGNETOM Vida redefines the limits of what is possible in diagnostic imaging, Overlook is further redefining what is possible in patient care.