CIM-Morges, Centre d'Imagerie de Morges

High Field Open MRI

Our new high-field open MRI alows no concession to image quality, while giving claustrophobic and other patients an opportunity to undergo examination under best conditions. Open MRI also allows to examine overweight patients who would not get into a tunnel, as well as small children with their mother aside. Moreover, open MRI allows functional joint tests (see article). For additional information, please visit the Swiss Portal for Radiology swissradiology.com.

Hereafter a summary of the advantages of our open MRI available in Sion and Morges:

- Higher antenna reception efficiency in a vertical field

- Solenoids receiver antennas fully enclose the part of the body to examine

- Image quality equals high field closed 1.5 T devices, but in an open environment

- Better image quality for remote regions (extremities), ideally positioned at the center of the magnet

- Same possibilities as in a closed high-field device (MR angiography, breast MRI, -> cardiac MRI, etc.)

- Less metal artifacts as compared to a 1.5 T magnet field

- Dynamic examination of the spine and joints, which are not feasible in a tunnel

- Much easier for claustrophobics

- Suited for overweight persons (pdf file) and children (pdf file)

- Easy access for patients with severe deformities (even contortionists!)

- Better patient monitoring during examination

- Costs for the patient remain the same in a more expensive unit than a 1.5 T closed MRI

Patient Information

You will soon undergo a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination, a highly efficient technique. Without danger for your organism, images of your body will be obtained and analysed to allow your attending physician to better determine the cause of your disorder. For very sensitive persons, we also can provide at our Centre d'Imagerie de Morges a special tunnel-free designed high field MRI; feelings of claustrophobia are avoided, a more comfortable positioning is possible and patient access is much easier. Moreover, the apparatus is definitely less noisy.

Before the examination

Except specifically mentioned, you may eat and take your usual drugs before MRI examination.
Most make-ups containing metal components, it is recommended not to make up before an examination of the head or neck. You can ask for a make-up remover if necessary.
After registration, you will be asked to undress (included brassiere, which contains metal fasteners) and to wear a blouse. All metal objects, including glasses, watch, credit cards (risk of erasure!) will be removed and put in a safe place. Any dental device should be removed if possible, as well as hearing aids.
A friend or a parent may stay with you during your examination if you like.

Precautions

As a rule, pregnant women should not be exposed to MRI during the first trimester of pregnancy without peremptory necessity. If you think you could be pregnant, it is safer to postpone your examination until next period.
If you are wearing a pace-maker (heart stimulator), an implantable defibrillator, an insulin pump or a fixed acoustic device, you are not allowed to enter the enclosure of magnetic resonance.
Please mention before examination any metal foreign body resulting from an operation or an accident, particularly in the head and close to your eyes.

During the examination

While lying confortably, your body region to be examined will be positioned in the center of a reception antenna. Complete immobility is required during the sequences. Whatever the duration of the examination (usually from 30 to 45 minutes), you will never be left without monitoring. The repetitive noise you hear is normal, it is due to fast current switches in the gradient coils. This noise will be strongly attenuated by ear plugs.To obtain additional information, a contrast agent must sometimes be injected into a vein; this substance (Gadolinium) is non toxic, does not contain iodine and has rarely if ever any side effects.

MRI principles in short words

Performing MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), the patient is positioned in the center of a magnetic field identical but much stronger than the field generateted by the earth or by a pocket magnet. Hydrogen atoms (protons) present in body water tend to fall into line with this magnetic field. Pulsed radio waves of short duration are then locally applicated to modify proton orientation. When protons tend to return to their initial alignment, they also emit radio waves of different frequency; this emission is detected by an antenna placed around the patient, computed and transformed into images; with MRI, slices can be obtained in any direction of space, when CT-scan native images are only transverse. MRI does not use any X-rays and no harmful biological effects have ever been proved under standard examination conditions. However, magnetic field interacts with metallic objects, resulting in image degradation. As any iron oject is strongly attracted by the magnet, some security precautions are mentioned.