New MRI gives patients room to breathe
FROM STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

So your doctor has ordered an Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but small, confining spaces make you anxious and uncomfortable. Good news. Gulf Breeze Hospital's new 1.5 Tesla, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system combines a larger bore, or opening, for patients who experience claustrophobia. The new MRI also is ideal for larger patients who may be uncomfortable using the traditional sized machines.

Even better news is that the patient-friendly design doesn't compromise the quality of the images. A product of Siemens Medical Solutions, the MRI features a bore opening of more than two feet in diameter and almost one foot of free space between a patient's head and the magnet. The MRI also features the shortest 1.5 Tesla magnet available. The magnet is approximately four feet in length and allows more than 60 percent of exams to be completed with the patient's head outside the bore.

"This is going to increase our efficiency and patient convenience," says JoAnn Rose, director of diagnostic imaging, Gulf Breeze Hospital. "People who are nervous because of the tight space might move or shake unintentionally. Because the larger space is less confining, our patients will feel more at ease so the need to repeat or interrupt exams is lessened."

Magnetic resonance provides images that are essential in the diagnosis and treatment planning of many conditions, including those related to the heart and vascular system as well as for diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The 1.5 Tesla MRI provides physical comfort while maintaining image confidence. The machine is primarily used in medical imaging to visualize the structure and function of the body. It provides detailed images of the body in any plane.

To learn more about the new technology at Gulf Breeze Hospital, call 850- 932-7500.