Partners operates 4 Siemens MRI’s

Partners Imaging Centers has two of the most powerful 3.0 Tesla scanners located at our Sarasota center including a wide bore which is ideal for claustrophobic patients.  These scanners are widely considered the most advanced technology of its kind in the world.  A wide bore 1.5 Tesla strength MRI is available at our Bradenton center. MRI technology uses computers and magnetic fields rather than radiation to capture images of the human body.

Our MRI scanners provide our radiologists with highly detailed pictures of anatomy and pathology to help them evaluate a wide range of conditions including stroke, cancer, multiple sclerosis, joint abnormalities and spine pain.

The 3.0T MRI that Partners operate are built precisely to handle the types of studies that are becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis of diseases including protate imaging, MR Angiography (MRA), functional imaging and spectroscopy.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a painless way to look inside your body without using X-rays. Instead, it uses a large magnet, radio-waves and a computer to scan your body and produce detailed pictures that cannot be seen on conventional X-rays. MRI can directly acquire slices in any plane. In addition, MRI is superior when it comes to soft tissue contrast, and there are no known side effects. The ability to view pictures from multiple directions, high tissue contrast, and lack of x-rays make MRI a very powerful imaging tool.

MRI offers a non-invasive way to obtain information that may otherwise not be as easily seen. It can lead to early detection and treatment of medical problems, and has no known side-effects. MRI can provide important information about the brain, spine, joints and internal organs.

Here is how it works. Your body is composed of small particles called atoms. Hydrogen atoms, or water, make up 95% of the body. Normally, the hydrogen atoms within your body spin around at random. However, when you are placed inside a strong magnetic field, the hydrogen atoms line up and spin in one direction.

When a radio-wave is passed through the body, the hydrogen gives off a signal. The signal with the aid of a computer becomes the source of MRI information.