Magnetic fields to attract patients
Not only did this department receive an all new aesthetic appearance, but it also received a brand-new state-of-the-art MRI machine.
On Friday, 29 September, Dr de Villiers and Partners, along with MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) radiographers Naeema Ahmed Bayat and Caroline Moolman introduced their new MRI Department at the Netcare Krugersdorp Hospital.
The 1,5 Tesla magnetic field attracted quite a few interested parties when they were introduced to the new kid on the block.
Not only did this department receive an all-new appearance – it also received a brand-new state-of-the-art MRI machine.
“Because the department, along with the old MRI machine, was flooded approximately three months ago due to a burst pipe, we did not only receive a brand new machine, but we were also able to renovate the entire department,” Naeema explained.
During this special re-opening event she also shared some features this state-of-the-art machine boasts.
“If you’ve ever had an MRI before, the sound of our specialised orchestra of Bass would be a sound you would be familiar with. With this new baby there is a 97 per cent reduction in sound pressure for neuron orthopedics and pediatrics. Our quiet suite is practically silent in comparison to older technology,” she explained.
This machine will also introduce Warp (a term used to summarise methods to minimise the impact of metal implants on image quality) to its patients. Warp integrates different techniques tailored to reduce susceptibility, a feature that breaks the boundaries of scanning post-prosthetic operations.
There is also a function used to control aliasing in parallel imaging which results in higher acceleration. It is a feature that reduces breath hold times and abdominal acquisition times considerably and is known as Caipirinha.
“We can now reproduce identical follow-up scans for our oncology patients with the Dot engine which provides flexibility, consistency and efficiency. This engine also reduces scan times for normal brains from 25 minutes to seven minutes,” Naeema said.
This department is also excited about the machine’s many new features and functions, including breast imaging.
“In theory there are no boundaries to what we will be able to achieve with this long-awaited MRI machine. I guess we can safely say MRI is indispensable,” she concluded.
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