Open Bore MR System Improves Workflow

A new open bore magnetic resonance imaging system offers a 71-cm aperture and an extremely large clinical field of view (55 cm x 55 cm x 50 cm). The unit's ultra-short, open bore was designed to increase comfort and improve the imaging of all patients, particularly those who are claustrophobic and/or bariatric. The open bore's larger diameter enables hospitals to scan bariatric patients with greater ease and provides patients with a greater feeling of openness to reduce claustrophobia.

Improving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam workflow without sacrificing patient safety, exam comfort, or image quality is a goal for many healthcare facilities. Overlake Hospital (Bellevue, WA, USA) selected Toshiba Medical Systems' (Tokyo, Japan) patient-friendly Vantage Titan ultra-short, open bore MR system to achieve this goal in its new MR facility.

Before acquiring the Titan, Overlake did not own an MR system and therefore was required to outsource all of its MR exams, a time-consuming and cumbersome experience for both the patient and physician. Since installing the Titan, Overlake patients receive MR exams immediately and on-site. In fact, the system's ability to increase patient throughput because of its patient-friendly features enabled Overlake to exceed its patient volume projections shortly after installation.

"When planning our new MR department, we wanted to not only have around-the-clock access to MR exams and improve workflow, but also maintain Overlake's focus on patient safety and comfort,” said Brenda Rinehart, director of Medical Imaging, Overlake Hospital. "The Titan's features met and even exceeded these requirements. One example is the Titan's large, open bore and noise reduction technology, which have improved the exam experience for our claustrophobic patients. This has resulted in a decrease in the need for sedation, allowing us to image patients more rapidly and safely.”

Toshiba's patient-focused MR design features include (1) Pianissimo technology, which reduces noise by up to 90%, making Toshiba's MR systems the quietest available. Since the patient experiences lower noise levels with Pianissimo, patients stay more relaxed during exams and fewer motion artifacts are acquired, which helps improve image quality. (2) Proprietary noncontrast MR angiography (MRA) techniques that enable safer MRA imaging of patients with known renal compromise. Toshiba's noncontrast MRA techniques include fresh blood imaging (FBI) for evaluating peripheral vascular diseases of the lower legs and extremities; Contrast-free improved angiography (CIA) for easier visualization of smaller vessels; time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (Time-SLIP) for evaluating hemodynamic, functional assessments, and visualization of vascular structures; and time and space angiography (TSA) to create noncontrast time-resolved imaging with high temporal resolution. (3) Lastly, Toshiba's Atlas Technology eliminates the need to reposition patients during exams by utilizing integrated coil technology. This feature reduces exam time and is more comfortable for the patient. It also enables feet-first imaging for a majority of exams, allowing patients to keep their head outside the bore.

"The Titan is specifically designed to alleviate top MR patient complaints through features like the large, open bore, Pianissimo noise-reduction technology, noncontrast techniques, and Atlas coil technology,” said Doug Ryan, vice president, marketing and strategic development, Toshiba. "The increased productivity at Overlake demonstrates the power and effectiveness of these patient-friendly features and the direct benefit they provide to physicians and patients, alike.”

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