Out With The Old, In With The New

LIBERAL, KS – At Southwest Medical Center, patients come first.

“We are very proud and excited to be able to offer an improved addition to our range of imaging services,” said Southwest Medical Center Radiology Director Kelly Denton, regarding the recent arrival of a faster and state-of-the-art MRI. “With the new Magnetom Essenza MRI, we now can perform more types of exams, such as breast, orthopedic, vascular and abdominal studies.”

Part of the current $22 million building project at Southwest Medical Center includes a new “home” for the MRI.

“The addition to the hospital that will house the MRI has a 17 foot x 9 foot window, which will not only make it easier for the MRI to be removed if it needs to be replaced down the road, but it will also add to the comfort of the patient as the presence of the window helps to ease the enclosed feeling of the procedure,” said Denton.

The biggest bonus of course is for the patient.

“In addition to the presence of the window, the short magnet design allows many exams to be done with the patient’s head and feet outside the scanner, which also helps alleviate the claustrophobia and distress some patients feel in other, closed-in MRI units,” Denton explained. “It is also comparable to units being utilized at not only other area hospitals, but across the country.”

Other bonuses of the new MRI unit include the detailed images that the strong 1.5T magnet produces.

“This enables us to not only provide more types of exams, it gives physicians the clinical information they need to provide their patients with high-quality care,” Denton said. “Exams can be performed faster due to the MRI’s exclusive Tim (Total Imaging matrix) technology. This technology also makes patient repositioning during the exam virtually unnecessary, reducing exam times.”

The new 12,000 pound unit replaces the 22,000 MRI that has been in use at the medical facility since April 1999 . Patients were able to have exams on the new unit beginning on Friday September 2, 2011 .

MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a noninvasive medical exam that provides physicians information helpful in diagnosing and treating medical conditions. An MRI uses a powerful magnet, radio waves and a computer to produce remarkably clear pictures of your head, spine or other parts of your body.

Staying with a philosophy of offering state-of-the-art technology for their patients, it was “out with the old and in with the new.

“The new unit was installed in August and we removed the old MRI unit in the early hours of September 2 so we would not disturb patient traffic to the hospital,” Denton said. “Patient comfort is our highest priority, and we strive to make every experience as pleasant and as quick as possible.”