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Equipment / Capabilities
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Operational Spring 2006
- The 3.0T Achieva.
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Superb image quality with high
speed scanning, reducing the time spent in the magnet,
is a major benefit of 3T imaging. In particular
motion artefacts may be minimised which occur through
involuntary movement by patients who are in some
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| Our Philips 3.0T Achieva has specifically designed Quasar
Dual gradients and can provide better image quality
and the ability to run even routine imaging at
1024 x 1024 matrix. With the higher SNR (signal
to noise ratio) even thinner slices may be taken
to demonstrate finer structures. SENSE parallel
imaging further improves quality, contrast and
sensitivity and reduces susceptibility artefacts,
acoustic noise and SARs. Some examples of 3T applications
are:
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Neurological Imaging - In neurological imaging
exceptional detail and visualisation with MRA
(angiography) of the intra-cranial and neck vessels
demonstrates smaller vessels with higher resolution.
The use of Diffusion studies allows earlier and
more accurate diagnosis of ischaemia, strokes
and brain tumours. MRS (spectroscopy) helps differentiate
between types of brain neoplasms, tumour recurrence
and radiation necrosis.
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Musculo-Skeletal
Imaging - In musculo-skeletal imaging
short TR/TE, thin slice, high SNR gives
the spatial resolution necessary to evaluate
finer structures. The 3T’s sensitivity
is particularly useful in looking at the
surface of joints, articular cartilages,
ligaments and tendons.
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Body Scanning - In
body scanning the 3.0T particularly excels at
abdominal and pelvic imaging. With high speed
scanning for breathhold and respiratory gating
anatomy is better demonstrated due to the decrease
in image noise and motion artefacts. Fast whole
body imaging, with unlimited field of view is
another advantage of the option of Mobiscan.
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Operational December 2005
– The Philips Panorama 1.0T Open Magnet.
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This is the worlds first high-field
open magnet. The vertical field RF coils are 40%
more efficient than cylindrical coils and combined
with the unique vertical field magnet this allows
1.5T-like imaging and performance.
With the ultimate patient-friendly design, a
160cm aperture and almost 360° viewing angle
claustrophobia is eliminated as patients are able
to see outside of the magnet during their scan.
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Isocentric imaging of off-centre anatomies (eg wrist,
shoulder or elbow) is easily achieved with
the lateral table movement.
In musculoskeletal imaging
the improved access particularly helps where
position or movement of a joint (kinetic
studies) plays an important role in diagnosis
and the 1.0T field provides excellent image
contrast.
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SENSE again provides the ability
to scan faster, with thinner slices, less susceptibility
artefact and ultra-high resolution. The exceptional
patient comfort helps people to keep still for
their whole examination thereby greatly reducing
motion artefact.
Without the constraints of patient
weight or size limits and Mobiscan fast whole
body imaging with exceptional resolution the 1.0T
Open provides many advantages.
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Current
Magnets – State-of-the-Art 1.5T Philips Intera,
Sw/R 9.6.2
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The current clinical standard,
our 1.5T advanced whole body scanners are fully
equipped with the latest coils & software.
With short bores that are wide open at both ends
our five Intera scanners provide for patient comfort
and excellent image quality.
The ability to modify the scan
parameters followed by real time reconstruction
and viewing enables us to take fast and accurate
images of complex anatomies and enable dynamic
joint studies.
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With TSE, FFE, GRASE, EPI, BFFE, and
SENSE scan times and motion artefacts are reduced and
image quality is improved. Our SENSE and synergy coils
provide high spatial resolution and excellent SNR, even
at small fields of view.
We have an extensive range
of dedicated receiver coils allowing us to scan patients
faster, take thinner slices, with higher SNR and provide
higher quality images to aid diagnosis. These coils
are various types of synergy, sense, phased-array and
quadrature etc. A few examples of the coils that we
have on every 1.5T scanner are:
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IGC Wrist coil
Our five dedicated phased-array
wrist coils produce better quality images, with
higher SNR and reduced scan times to demonstrate
small anatomical structures in the joint. The
coil allows us to use smaller FoV’s, take
thinner slices and produce a higher image resolution,
matrix and more homogenous fat suppression. The
multi-positioning options increase patient comfort
and motion artefact is greatly reduced with the
superior immobilisation of the joint.
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Philips Head
& Neck Coil
Our 3-channel synergy
detection coil offers a synergy combination of
the Q-head and two quadrature neck elements (anterior
and posterior). These can be used collectively
or in any combination for best coverage and higher
SNR. We are able to extensively cover anatomy
with a large FoV. By utilising both SENSE and
CLEAR capabilities we can scan faster with a higher
resolution and the coil is sloped and cushioned
to improve patient comfort.
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There are many applications
for our five coils, in particular brain imaging, MRA
and cervical spines to T4. Carotid vessels can be imaged
from CoW to aortic arch and used in conjunction with
contrast studies even greater image quality is obtained
faster. With the bolus track facility venous enhancement
is lowered.
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Philips TMJ coil.
Our dedicated surface TMJ coils
with integrated head rest for patient comfort allows
high resolution, thin slice bilateral imaging in the
shortest possible time. The coil lets us produce movies
of the TMJs by using the dynamic cine loop to visualise
the TMJs in motion and provide specific information
of function. The coil is also excellent for high resolution
imaging of the orbits, ear and larynx.
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