High-field open MRI coming to Fort Hamilton Hospital

On Nov. 30, Fort Hamilton Hospital will accept delivery of its latest technology advance - a new high-field open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. "This new equipment gives Fort Hamilton Hospital the most advanced MRI capabilities available anywhere," says Linda Reilman, M.D., medical director. Fort Hamilton Hospital purchased the Oasis high-field open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system from Hitachi. It will be one of only a few high-field open MRIs in the Tristate.

Because it is a truly open MRI, The Oasis will be able to accommodate patients who have claustrophobia - the Oasis lets patient see in all directions with a 270-degree view; they won't be inside a "tunnel." The open design of the Oasis also allows Fort Hamilton Hospital to accommodate obese patients who don't fit into a traditional MRI.

Explains Dr. Reilman, "Because the Oasis is high-field as well as open, it can acquire high quality images and acquire them much more quickly than an MRI that is not high-field." Special imaging coils that are part of the system allow the Oasis to acquire the best images for a wide variety of medical specialties. The Oasis also has motion compensation technology, further ensuring the highest quality image.

Other clinical benefits include:

• Sensitivity to soft tissue, providing the highest contrast resolution and the ability to image any plane
• Enables high quality diagnostic information for every region of the body
• Acquires both anatomical and functional information.

The Oasis is expected to be up and running in early January.Fort Hamilton Hospital has been serving Butler County residents for more than 80 years, and is a full-service community hospital.