SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Crouse Health has installed a new, $896,000 GE Healthcare system MRI unit in what the organization calls an “upgrade.”
MRI is short for magnetic resonance imaging.
The hospital began the installation process in the spring and had been using a mobile unit for patients during the months-long effort, Crouse Health said in a news release.
The upgrade provides enhanced image resolution, quicker scans, and the ability to perform exams “that were not possible with the previous unit,” which was installed in 2001, Brad Hellwig, Crouse’s director of medical-imaging services, said.
“We are able to reduce overall scan times while obtaining better images, which means we can catch emerging pathologies earlier,” said Hellwig.
The new system uses 35 percent less power than previous-generation MRI systems and required a smaller footprint for installation.
MRI is a non-invasive, diagnostic procedure that uses magnetic fields and radio frequencies to generate detailed anatomical and functional images. MRI scans “have an advantage” over some forms of scanning because they can image different types of organ tissue without ionizing radiation, Crouse said.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com