Since x-ray/CT radiation and invasive studies can be harmful to tiny babies, our technology helps to facilitate safe and effective imaging of sick pre-mature babies and newborns using MRI.
With MRI one can perform all of the imaging functions non-invasively on neonates and infants without the use of ionizing radiation. However sick babies have to be transported to the MRI section for effective diagnosis using the high-field MRI machines.
Here we offer solutions to three fundamental questions regarding infant MRI:
The answer to the first two questions is a resounding YES. The answer to the third question will become apparent as you continue to read.
Answer: Babies are not small adults. Sick babies cannot just walk in and out of the MRI exam room like adults. Therefore, patient-centered care is important. As a response to this important question, we offer our neonatal transport MRI incubator system which permits safe inter-departmental transport without significantly compromising care to the sick infant.
Answer: We know clinical intervention depends on the diagnosis, which in turn relies on the image quality. We also know higher the image quality, better is the delineation between healthy and sick areas. If that’s the case, what good will a patient visit to the MRI be with sub-optimal (below average) image quality?
Since adult sized devices compromise image quality on small infants, an optimized pediatric imaging solution is necessary. In response to this question and to address the shortcoming of using adult devices on babies, we offer our custom, infant sized imaging RF coils that provide enhance image quality over babies which is highly desired.
Answer: On small anatomy, especially, high-field offers uncompromising image quality sought for effective diagnosis. In a low-field scanner, the babies will spend a lot more time in the MRI scanner to obtain comparable image quality worth effective diagnosis. It will be a great waste if the arduous efforts of transporting a sick child with all of its life sustaining equipment are met with sub-optimal image quality affecting diagnosis.