February 11, 2021

Mercy Medical Center offers advanced 3.0T imaging

REGIONAL
Staff report

Lead MRI Technologist Chris Moore (second from right), outlines the imaging advancements of the new Signa Premier 3T Wide Bore “Open” MRI unit to Lynn Shewchuk, diagnostic imaging administrator; Mercy president Deborah Bitsoli; and Darlene Cunha, chief nursing officer. (iObserve photo/courtesy of Mercy Medical Center)

SPRINGFIELD – The Diagnostic Imaging Department at Mercy Medical Center now offers the latest MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) services with the addition of the new SIGNA™ Premier 3.0T wide bore MR system to the list of technologies used to help detect possible illness and injury.

The new SIGNA™ Premier MRI combines the latest advancements in MRI with the sophisticated engineering of a 3.0T wide bore system, offering a new level of precision imaging with revolutionary coil technology and hyper acceleration techniques designed to minimize scan times and improve image quality. These design elements make this MRI unit the best option in the region for imaging many types of orthopedic, neurologic, abdominal, spine, oncologic and other conditions.

In an MRI scan, huge magnets and radio waves are used to provide images of the brain, neck, spinal cord, and body tissue. Patients often found these exams unpleasant and uncomfortable, as they were required to spend long periods of time in a long, dark tunnel-like machine and be subjected to extremely loud noise. The new SIGNA™ Premier 3.0T wide bore MR system uses the latest technology to provide a more comfortable and faster MRI scan.

Patients who are comfortable during an MRI scan have an easier time limiting their movement, thereby allowing for a more accurate image. Also, depending on which area of the body being tested, many of the wide bore MRI scans are performed with the patient’s head outside of the system, allowing them to see the examination room and communicate with technicians during the procedure.  

“The acquisition and utilization of the SIGNA™ Premier 3.0T wide bore MR system is another example of Mercy Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to delivering outstanding health care through the use of state-of-the-art technology,” said Dr. Robert Roose, chief medical officer of Mercy Medical Center. “This particular system not only provides the highest quality of images available to ensure an accurate diagnosis, it also improves the patient experience by offering a shorter exam time.”

“At Mercy Medical Center, our patients are at the center of everything we do. The addition of the new SIGNA™ Premier MRI is another step in the continuous improvement of our clinical technology, providing patients with access to the most advanced MR imaging,” said Deborah Bitsoli, president of Mercy Medical Center and its affiliates. “In the near term, we also plan to add a new Biograph PET-CT mCT with advanced dose-reduction technology and a GE Nuclear Medicine/CT 850 ES, a state-of-the art Cardiology Nuclear Camera to help in the evaluation of coronary heart disease.”

The SIGNA™ Premier 3.0T wide bore MR system at Mercy Medical Center provides MRI exams through a joint venture with Alliance Imaging, Inc.