Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis recently introduced the Signa Excite imaging system, a new, high-definition magnetic resonance scanner.

The new technology will provide doctors at Baptist Memphis with highly detailed images of the anatomy and help evaluate a variety of conditions, including stroke, musculoskeletal diseases and heart disease. Baptist Memphis is the only Mid-South hospital with this technology.

"Because it is the most powerful MRI scanner available, this system gives us the best of all worlds — it gives our physicians more information to diagnose diseases and may reduce the length of exams for our patients," says Al Russo, manager of MRI at Baptist Memphis. "We can be more confident in the results, and our patients are more comfortable."

With other systems, patients would be required to lie absolutely still for a prolonged period of time because even the slightest movement could distort the image. The new system will provide physicians with clearer pictures in a shorter amount of time, allowing them to see many parts of the body better, including the brain, spine, prostate, abdomen, cardiac region and pelvis. They can also evaluate blood flow in the legs of diabetic patients and perform orthopedic procedures on the elbow, wrist, hip and ankle.


December 2006