When it comes to your healthcare, having access to the best diagnostic tools is critical. MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a scan of the organs and structures inside the body using radio waves and a powerful magnet to create three-dimensional images. It is an invaluable to tool for detecting and diagnosing disease and monitoring treatment.
According to Mike Schweikert, director of the Morel Family Foundation MRI Center at Doylestown Hospital, the quality of MRI scans varies widely across providers. “There are many MRI providers that have old equipment with old software and hardware. Patients should ask what equipment they have and when it was last updated.”
The Patient-Friendly 3T MRI
At Doylestown Hospital, we have 3T MRI machines, which have double the magnet strength of conventional MRI scanners. This allows our radiologists to capture clearer, sharper images that better inform your care. And because of the speed in which the 3T MRI images can be rendered, your diagnostic exam can be completed in as little as 20 minutes.
A faster exam time is one of the many patient-friendly advantages of the Philips 3T MRI equipment at Doylestown Hospital. The MRI tube has a 20% larger opening than other machines. Many exams can be performed feet-first with this technology, and many pediatric exams can be completed with the child’s head outside of the scanner. These features help to make your scan more comfortable.
The Philips 3T MRI at Doylestown Hospital also offers the “Ambient Experience,” an immersive visual experience. You can select from a variety of soothing visual themes to be projected onto the wall of your exam room, along with coordinating sound and lighting. You could be hot air ballooning, floating down a river, lounging on a tropical isle, or building a snowman on a beautiful winter night. The goal of the programming is to lessen anxiety and provide you with a relaxing exam.
Quality Imaging Means Better Care
In 2019, thanks to the generosity of the Morel Family Foundation, we acquired our newest MRI machine, the Philips Ingenia Ambition X 1.5T MR, featuring the next generation of magnet design. All of our MRI machines are regularly updated with the latest Philips software to improve scanning speed and resolution. This means that we continue to have leading-edge imaging and diagnostic capability.
“If the Radiologist cannot see the pathology, they cannot comment on it. We pride ourselves on our ability to produce quality images,” says Mike Schweikert.
The hospital does a high volume of breast and prostate imaging. Doylestown Health Urologist Dr. Albert Ruenes notes that, “With the use of the 3T MRI at Doylestown Hospital, we have more specific insight into a patient’s prostate cancer and the best treatment options.”
Our state-of-the-art MRI suite is located on the ground floor in the hospital’s ArtWalk. Learn more about our MRI services and make an appointment by visiting our website.
About Doylestown Health
Doylestown Health is a comprehensive healthcare system of inpatient, outpatient, and wellness education services connected to meet the health needs of the local and regional community. The flagship of Doylestown Health is Doylestown Hospital, a not-for-profit, community teaching hospital with 245 beds and a medical staff of more than 600 providers who deliver the highest quality care in over 50 specialties. Renowned locally, regionally, and nationally, Doylestown Hospital provides superior healthcare and offers advanced surgical procedures, innovative medical treatments, and comprehensive specialty services. Serving Bucks County for over 100 years, Doylestown Hospital is proud to educate and train the next generation of physicians through its family medicine residency program. Ranked as one of the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek and 9th in Pennsylvania, Doylestown Hospital is distinguished in both infection prevention and patient experience. Doylestown Hospital is the only hospital in Pennsylvania to achieve 18 consecutive ‘A’ grades for patient safety from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Learn more at doylestownhealth.org.