Open MRI

The MRI machine is a large, tube-shaped magnet. When you lie inside the machine, the magnetic field temporarily aligns all the water molecules in your body. Radio waves cause these aligned particles to produce very faint signals, which are used to create cross-sectional images of your body — like slices in a loaf of bread. The MRI machine can combine these slices to produce 3-D images that may be viewed from many different angles.

The strength of the magnet is a key element to MRI scanning. Tesla (T) is the unit of measurement used to quality the strength of the MRI magnetic field. The stronger the magnet, the higher the image quality.

Open Bore MRI

The Magnetom Verio Open Bore 3T MRI at our Richmond Avenue location is the only one of its kind in Texas. The bore - or the long tube - is over 2 feet wide and only 4 feet long. This means that your head can remain outside of the bore during procedures not involving your head, neck or upper spine. But for those procedures, the wider bore gives you about a foot of headroom so you won’t feel like you are nose-to-nose with the top of the machine.

This larger bore size makes the Verio 3T MRI an ideal choice for children, or for patients who are claustrophobic, anxious, obese or elderly.

The Verio 3T MRI also uses a contrast-free technique, optimized for imaging the kidneys — a distinct benefit for patients with renal failure.

Open MRI

Patient comfort is a hallmark of our Philips Panorama 1.0T Open MRI. Unlike the standard closed MRI an Open MRI is more focused on patient comfort. Because it is open an all sides, you may find this scanner easier to tolerate. The Open MRI eliminates any anxiety or claustrophobic effects you may find with traditional MRI scanners.

Open MRI technology is available at the following Memorial Hermann Imaging Centers

• First Colony (Open)
• Memorial City (Open)
• Richmond (Open Bore)