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In March, we told you about the preparations that Virginia Gay Hospital’s
Imaging Services Department was making for the new Magnetic Resonance Imaging unit. The new unit arrived on Tuesday, and made its way down the long hall, around the corner, down the ramp, and into its specially constructed new home.
The new MRI unit will save local residents both time and money. The test itself takes nearly a half hour. By the time one travels at least 30 minutes each way, waits in the waiting room prior to the testing session, almost half the day is over. That doesn’t include the time or money spent stopping for lunch, and buying gas. Whether the MRI is performed at Virginia Gay or another facility, the same radiologist reads the images.
Virginia Gay Hospital’s recent upgrade to digital technology quickly sends the MRI’s images to RCI in Cedar Rapids, where every other facility’s MRI’s are processed. “It’s a very big deal to have one of these here permanently at VGH,” Radiology Technician Susan Bender said. “We can do the same thing here, actually with newer technology, and save our patients time so they can get on with their day.”
Currently, the hospital uses a mobile MRI unit that comes to Vinton on Tuesdays and Fridays. “This new unit will greatly increase the flexibility of scheduling for patients. That’s really convenient patient care”, Imaging Services Coordinator Monica Stark said. “Not having to take patients outside in the January cold for an MRI is a big convenience too, Bender added. Although already fully trained in the operation and safety of the MRI, Bender and co-worker Jill Henkle will be attending a special training class in Utah to update software and applications specific to this new unit.
The new MRI unit is equal in power and size to those in other facilities, with one exception. VGH’s unit is called a “small bore” unit. Although it takes the same quality images, it is more comfortable for the patient. “It’s not as intimidating to the patient as other units are,” Bender said. “The patient needs to lie motionless during the MRI, and if they’re claustrophobic, that can cause the test to take longer. This unit makes the patient feel much more comfortable than at other places.”
Imaging Services is located directly below the hospital’s new emergency room. A private elevator takes patients between floors preserving patient confidentiality.
The many outpatient clinics that Virginia Gay offers will be able to take advantage of the new MRI unit also. For example, due to the high volume of Podiatry patients, the hospital decided to purchase a coil specifically designed to help diagnose foot and ankle problems. “We are the only hospital within a 60 mile radius to have a dedicated foot and ankle coil”, Stark said.
The newly expanded Imaging Services department already boasts X Ray, Ultrasound, and CT Scan services. With the renovations of the department, the decision was made to purchase a new CT Scanning unit as well. “The new CT unit increased our scanning capacity by 8 times. It takes 32 pictures per round instead of 4”, Stark said, “In most cases, it gives us a diagnosis in about 20 minutes from the time the patient enters the CT.”
Both units have their specific strengths. The MRI unit is used primarily to see soft tissue, nerves, ligaments, and blood vessel issues. It cannot be used on patients with pacemakers or aneurysm clips because of the magnet, but that’s where the CT scanner can pick up. The CT scanner uses radiation to display an image, so the magnetic properties of the MRI are not an issue. And for patients where radiation is an obstacle, the MRI can be used to obtain a diagnosis. The CT scanner is used more to look at hard tissue and bones. As a result, a diagnosis can be made at Virginia Gay Hospital, and then appropriate treatment can begin.
The new MRI unit was manufactured by the Siemens Corporation and was flown here from Germany. The unit was filled with liquid helium to keep it at a constant temperature until its installation. Once in place, a temperature stabilization unit will be installed on the roof of the hospital to take the place of the helium. After testing and further equipment installation, the new MRI unit will be fully operational and ready for patient use by the second week of August.
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