Upright MRI centre makes scanning less stressful

United Open MRI Limited ceo Tarquin Desoutter, clinical director Dr Ben Timmis and Leeds Upright MRI Centre lead radiographer Helen Morgan with the Paramed scanner.

A state-of-the-art upright MRI centre has opened in Leeds, enabling patients that suffer claustrophobia to be imaged in an open MRI scanner.

Manufactured by Paramed in Italy, the 0.5T scanner is the first of its kind to be installed in the UK.  Its design allows all parts of the body, particularly the spine and joints, to be imaged in a weight-bearing state to show the effect of gravity on the spine.   Patients can be imaged sitting, lying down, standing, in their position of pain or in flexion, extension, rotation and lateral bending.

GP Dr Chris Steele shares his medical expertise on ITV’s This Morning television show.  He said: “The opening of the Leeds Upright MRI Centre is wonderful news, making MRI scans accessible to more patients than ever before. This exciting new technology is a huge step forward for patient choice as it means that patients need not put off MRI scans due to anxiety or claustrophobia.

“Upright open MRI is the future of MRI scanning and it’s fantastic to have this centre in Leeds.”

See the full report on page 9 of the December 2012 issue of RAD Magazine.