Services

MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

CHI Mercy Health has taken a significant step toward improving the comfort of patients receiving diagnostic MRI exams with the purchase of new GE SIGNA Explorer technology.

MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, uses a large magnet and radio waves to look at organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. It’s one of the most important tools available to physicians, useful in the diagnosis of a wide range of conditions, from torn ligaments to tumors.

While non-invasive and completely painless, some of the features of an MRI can be difficult for certain patients, such as noise level. Mercy’s new MRI lessens the impact of some of those features, including lowering the table height to ease patient access, adding free-breathing applications, reducing the noise level and even adding a music feature to help patients relax.

Patient comfort is increased further by the reduction of time required to complete a test.

In addition to the new patient-focused feature, the SIGNA Explorer aids physicians by providing an even higher quality of images to enhance the diagnosis process.

In addition to this new generation of MRI technology, patients benefit from a team of highly trained and accredited technologists, all of whom are dedicated to providing safe, professional and compassionate care.

The result is an overall significantly improved MRI experience for both patients and physicians.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses a large magnet and radio waves to look at organs and structures inside your body. Health care professionals use MRI scans to diagnose a variety of conditions, from torn ligaments to tumors. MRIs are very useful for examining the brain and spinal cord.

During the scan, you lie on a table that slides inside a machine. Doing the scan may take anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour and you must stay still. The scan is painless. The MRI machine makes a lot of noise. The technologist may offer you earplugs.
Before you get a scan, tell your doctor if you:

  • Have pieces of metal in your body.
  • Have electronic devices in your body, such as:
    • Cardiac pacemaker
    • Stents
    • Wires

Mercy Medical Center is committed to providing quality MRI exams. The technologists that perform these exams have advanced training in MRI protocols and are nationally registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

  • Make sure you empty your pockets of EVERYTHING
  • The strength of the MRI’s magnet can demagnetize your credit cards

An advanced trained MRI technologist will be performing your MRI. This is different from the Radiologist who will interpret the images.

Listed below are the types of MRI’s we perform.  Please visit Imaging Services Catalog for more information regarding preps and what to expect.

  • Extremities (Knee, elbow, wrist, ankle, etc.)
  • Abdomen
  • Breast
  • Spine (Cervical, Lumbar, Thoracic)