The 3 Tesla MRI provides high performance imaging in an open, patient-friendly scanning environment. Designed with both patient and physician in mind, the system enhances patient comfort without compromising image quality and clinical performance.

The 3 Tesla MRI is a sophisticated magnetic resonance scanner with a very high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), allowing it to deliver more detailed images of the body. The enhanced contrast and increased resolution it offers reveal important details not easily visualized with other scanners. It also allows the use of thinner slices for more accurate diagnosis.

The 3 Tesla MRI is the most compact scanner in its class. The short bore design increases patient’s comfort and acceptance. It is also equipped with monitoring devices and an MRI-compatible anesthesia machine, when needed, to ensure safety of the patient while undergoing the examination.

Dr. Rafael Joson, chief of the MRI Section and assistant director of the Institute of Radiology at St. Luke’s Medical Center said: "Children, claustrophobic and elderly patients benefit from reduced scanned times requiring less, if any, anesthesia. The brevity of the procedure requires shorter breath-holds as well, providing patients with lung disorders a diagnostic option that they did not have previously."

Being a whole body scanner, the 3 Tesla MRI is highly suited for a wide range of diagnostic requirements. The excellent image quality provided by the system makes it valuable for brain and spine studies, vascular examinations, body, cardiac and musculoskeletal imaging.

For oncology patients, the potential exists for detecting, characterizing and staging tumors—seeing what could not be seen before—and obviating invasive biopsy procedures. "We will be able to visualize lesions with exquisite details," Dr. Joson said.

Because of the level of detail it provides, the new equipment assists radiologists and physicians in the earlier diagnosis of a variety of medical conditions. Not only can earlier diagnosis lead to better treatment and outcome, it can help reduce overall healthcare costs.