Barnes Jewish West County Hospital

Radiology 1

MRI/MRIA

Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital was one of the first facilities in the Midwest to offer a 1.5T Open Bore MRI.

The Open Bore Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner is a doughnut-shaped machine with gradient coils that send and receive radio waves. A magnet causes all of a patient's water molecules to align with the magnetic field. In response to the radio waves, the body produces very faint signals, which are picked up by the gradient coils and processed by a computer that makes cross-sectional image "slices" of the head and body, which are especially helpful for examination of the brain, neck, spinal cord and soft tissues. Because of its high-resolution images of the brain and spinal cord's white and gray matter, MRI often is used in the diagnosis of central nervous system disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. MRI also is helpful for evaluating joint, ligament, muscle and bone problems.

The Open or Short Bore MRI allows many exams to be done with the patient's head outside of the machine, and allows more elbow room and more head room -- nearly one foot of space above the patient's nose -- a vast improvement over the few inches a traditional MRI provides. More than two feet in diameter, its opening accommodates patients of most sizes, and its short length makes it ideal for patients who get anxious or claustrophobic during a closed MRI exam. The Open Bore MRI suite features changing rooms and private waiting rooms.


		MRI/MRIA Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital was one of the first facilities in the Midwest to offer a 1.5T Open Bore MRI. The Open Bore Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner is a doughnut-shaped machine with gradient coils that send and receive radio waves. A magnet causes all of a patient's water molecules to align with the magnetic field. In response to the radio waves, the body produces very faint signals, which are picked up by the gradient coils and processed by a computer that makes cross-sectional image "slices" of the head and body, which are especially helpful for examination of the brain, neck, spinal cord and soft tissues. Because of its high-resolution images of the brain and spinal cord's white and gray matter, MRI often is used in the diagnosis of central nervous system disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. MRI also is helpful for evaluating joint, ligament, muscle and bone problems. The Open or Short Bore MRI allows many exams to be done with the patient's head outside of the machine, and allows more elbow room and more head room -- nearly one foot of space above the patient's nose -- a vast improvement over the few inches a traditional MRI provides. More than two feet in diameter, its opening accommodates patients of most sizes, and its short length makes it ideal for patients who get anxious or claustrophobic during a closed MRI exam. The Open Bore MRI suite features changing rooms and private waiting rooms.