MR System Enables Medical Center to Image Bariatric Patients Successfully

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system's 71-cm aperture and large open bore enables a U.S. medical center to serve better its bariatric patient population with an MR system capable of imaging obese patients with comfort and effectiveness.

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, requiring hospitals to provide medical imaging technology designed to accommodate bariatric patients without compromising diagnostic confidence or patient comfort. To accomplish this goal, Central Mississippi Medical Center (CMMC; Jackson, MS, USA), a specialized bariatric center, recently installed Toshiba Medical Systems, Inc.'s (Tokyo, Japan) Vantage Titan MR system.

"Before installing the Titan, we could not accommodate many of our bariatric patients using MR and had to send them elsewhere for MR imaging,” said Donald Thomas, director, Imaging Services, Central Mississippi Medical Center. "The Titan allows us to image bariatric patients easily and comfortably without sacrificing patient comfort or exam quality. The system helps us better serve the bariatric community.”

The Titan is the first large open-bore MRI system installed in the state of Mississippi. Titan's feet-first imaging and Pianissimo noise-reduction technology enable bariatric and claustrophobic patients to be imaged in a relaxed setting. In addition to general MR exams, CMMC uses Toshiba's proprietary noncontrast MR angiography (MRA) techniques for patients with renal insufficiencies who require MR exams. Gadolinium-based contrast agents, the most common contrast agents used for MRA, have been directly linked to nephrogenic systemic fibrosis or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NSF/NFD), a sometimes-fatal skin disease that occurs in patients with renal insufficiency. Due to the link between obesity and type II diabetes, these noncontrast techniques are particularly beneficial for CMMC, which can now offer noncontrast MRA exams to diabetic patients and other patients with renal insufficiencies.

CMMC is also utilizing the Titan MR system in the evaluation of nonhealing wounds in diabetic patients. Some diabetics have challenges with wounds healing appropriately, and infections can spread rapidly, which can result in amputations. With the high image quality of the Titan, physicians at CMMC can make the correct diagnostic decision by being able to visualize clearly the bone versus the tissue, and are able to identify if the infection has spread to the bone. Physicians can therefore make a more accurate decision if amputation is necessary or if other therapies can be used.

In addition to bariatric and diabetic patient needs, CMMC also uses the Titan MR for general patient imaging, including head, neck, spine, knee, and abdominal/pelvis exams. "Central Mississippi Medical Center's utilization of Toshiba's Vantage Titan and proprietary noncontrast MRA techniques demonstrates the real-world effectiveness in comfortably imaging bariatric patients while eliminating the risks of gadolinium-based contrast agents,” said Doug Ryan, vice president, marketing and strategic development, Toshiba. "Toshiba recognizes the challenges of imaging bariatric patients and develops imaging systems with features to more effectively serve the needs of these patients.”

Related Links:
Toshiba Medical Systems
Central Mississippi Medical Center