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Heartland Spine & Specialty Hospital offers unique and world-class MRI technology
The thought of getting an MRI can be stressful and scary — or even seem downright impossible — for some people. Almost everyone has heard a horror story from friends, family or television regarding a negative experience in an MRI. And some studies have found that 10 percent of the population is truly phobic in an MRI machine.
The professionals at Heartland Spine & Specialty Hospital understand the anxiety patients feel before and during an MRI.
Harley Creek, an MRI technologist at Heartland Spine & Specialty, encourages patients to call in advance and speak with one of Heartland's technologists to alleviate their anxiety.
"When a person first comes in for an MRI, it can be a rather intimidating test because it is a little bit close and it is very, very loud,” he said. "I have found through the years the best way to help offset that is to give them as much information about the exam — and what exactly is going to happen during the exam — before we even start and, of course, to answer any questions that they have.”
Patients' reactions vary, Creek said, but oftentimes they are positive.
"A lot of people will come in — and it's their first time — and after I bring them out they say, 'Well, that wasn't that bad at all.'
"We try to put them at ease, let them know, 'Hey, we are here for you. We are here to try to make you as comfortable as possible.'”
A speaker system allows a patient and the technologist to have a conversation during breaks in the test. With help from a camera, the technologist can see the patient at all times. And all patients are given a squeeze ball they can press that will set off an alarm and notify the technologist to bring the patient out if necessary.
The average MRI takes about 30 minutes per area scanned, Creek said, and the result is approximately 80 to 120 pictures from multiple planes.
Heartland Spine & Specialty Hospital uses a short bore 3.0 Tesla MRI. The closed MRI systems in the Kansas City area vary from 1.0 to 3.0 Tesla, and Heartland currently has the only 3.0 Tesla in the region. This makes scanning of the brain, spine, joints and extremities more precise.
"Tesla refers to the field strength of the magnet,” said Greg Duran, Director of Radiology at Heartland Spine & Specialty Hospital. "As good as 1.5 Tesla MR images are, they just can't characterize some subtle abnormalities as well as 3.0 Tesla can.”
Duran says there are several reasons the 3.0 Tesla gives better results. They include:
- More detailed imaging. "The high field strength MRI even delineates structures such as blood vessels as small as 200 to 300 microns, drilling down to the ultra-structural level,” Duran said. The 3.0 Tesla has also captured finer details such as small lesions and evaluated peripheral vascular disease.
- More accurate imaging of spine, bones and joints. For spinal and orthopedic injuries, the 3.0 Tesla offers greater detail of joints, muscles, spine, brain and discs. 3.0 Tesla scanning in the brain can be completed in the same exam time at a much higher resolution.
- Reduced scan time and greater patient comfort. A strong magnet means you may spend less time in the MRI tunnel. A scan that once took 30 minutes may now be done in 15 to 20 minutes.
- Greater accuracy of diagnosis. Even if you spend the same amount of time in the scanner, your doctor will get a higher resolution image, allowing a more accurate diagnosis.
- Higher resolution images. The 3.0 Tesla can see structures like blood vessels that older MRIs did not show and can capture higher resolution images.
The staff at Heartland are happy to answer your questions before and during your procedure. They are committed to making your experience as pleasant as possible!