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--The Imaging Center at the Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center unveiled its new MRI Suite today including
a new 3.0T traditional MRI and the first Ambient Experience Open MRI
in the Country.
The new MRI suite includes a new ultra-high-field 3.0T traditional
MRI and a 1.0T Open MRI. The traditional MRI offers physicians and
patients the highest resolution images in the industry with the fastest
scan times of any scanner on the market. It also boasts one of the
most patient friendly designs with the widest patient opening of any
traditional MRI available today.
The Philips 1.0T Open MRI offers the highest and best detail available
on an Open MRI and has the widest, most open design to ease stress
and claustrophobia. In addition, the room itself was designed to create
a more relaxed and soothing environment, which is highlighted by the
use of the Ambient Experience.
As soothing music fills the room, the lights are dimmed, and marine
life frolics around. Or clusters of cottony clouds dance by. Or fields
of wheat wave in a gentle breeze. These, or other larger-than-life
images of your choosing, are projected onto the circular walls for
relaxation and enjoyment.
The Ambient Experience is a virtual movie theatre which enables patients
to choose their own music, lighting and wall images. The Ambient Experience
virtually transforms the Open MRI room into a multi-dimensional theatre
where special images such as fish or nature scenes are projected.
Each of the themes has accompanying sounds and music which reduces
anxiety and replaces it with amazement. The Ambient Experience provides
our pediatric, adolescent and adult patients the absolute maximum
in patient comfort, and breaks down the anxiety and tension levels.
“We chose to include the Ambient Experience with our new Open
MRI because it dramatically reduces patient anxiety and makes our
patients feel more comfortable. It also enables us to obtain better
images because our patients are more inclined to lay still and potentially
reduces the need for repeat examinations,” explains Lyle Gesner,
M.D., section chief of neuroradiology at Saint Barnabas.
“A simple MRI test can take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes.
Having a relaxing distraction makes the test seem less intimidating
to many people, especially our pediatric patients,” explains
Dr. Gesner. “Many of our young patients require sedation for
a test such as MRI because they can not relax enough and lay still
for a long enough period of time. We’re hopeful that the Ambient
Experience will enable us to decrease the amount of pediatric sedations
that have been necessary in the past.”
As patients check-in for an Open MRI exam, they can choose from a
variety of themes. As soon as the patient enters the room, the theme
is initiated, and the environment becomes tailored to the patient’s
preferences.
“We have always been focused on patient satisfaction. However,
this exceeds our expectations in every way. Not only do we have the
most state-of-the-art MRI imaging facility; but we have the most patient-friendly
one as well,” says Alan A. Kass, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S., Executive
Director of the Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center.
Philips Design Medical Team was recently recognized as a gold winner
for its Ambient Experience for health care in the Annual Industrial
Design Excellence Award in the environment category. The contest is
run independently by the Industrial Designers Society of America and
is sponsored by Business Week magazine.
For further information about the new MRI Suite at Saint Barnabas
and the Ambient Experience, please call our Imaging
Center at (973) 322-7859.
Date: December 20, 2005
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