MRI Consultants opened its doors five years ago, at the beginning of a great recession! And, we have done well. One of the reasons I left my old office was that they refused to invest in new MRI equipment (like people who keep their old TV instead of switching to a hi-def flat screen). They thought the old technology was “good enough” and that the new technology (3-Tesla and OPEN Bore magnets) was too expensive. “Not ready yet,” they said.

Listening is key to medicine. Going to a doctor who is not responsive to your complaints can have dire results. If your doctor isn’t listening to you, keep complaining. If they keep ignoring you, get a second opinion. Your health may depend on it.

Yesterday, a doctor’s son was injured in a terrible sports accident. The x-ray did not show a fracture. An MRI would have shown the fracture, but there was a one day delay while another x-ray—and a CT scan—was performed that did show the fracture. The young man’s parent, a very prominent family physician, insisted on a 3T MRI for her son, to further evaluate the soft tissues.

3T MRI is imaging that uses the strongest magnet currently available. The machines cost more money, but they are worth it. They are twice as strong as standard closed MRI scanners and ten times stronger than traditional OPEN MRI scanners. Over the past several years, a new kind of OPEN MRI has been developed (called “Open Bore” MRI). It has more room for patients AND a magnet that is as strong as any 1.5T MRI scanner in the State.

I have just returned from the ISMRM 19th annual meeting in Montreal on MRI. Prior to this I also attended 8 of the 10 SMRM meetings (which were replaced by the ISMRM). In all, this is the 27th meeting on MRI I have watched in my career. Over the past several years, it has become increasingly obvious that the best MRI studies are done on MRI scanners with a field strength of 3T. It really is twice as good!

As I write this article, it is March— just after the nuclear disaster in Japan. Women with a family history of ovarian or breast cancer should read this article very carefully. Low levels of radiation are significant. People who have any predisposition to cancer have more cancers if they are exposed to radiation—even low levels of radiation. In the United States and elsewhere, medical testing is loaded with huge amounts of radiation.

It’s our 4th anniversary!!! Anyone needing an MRI should make note that 3T MRI is 100% sensitive for finding breast cancer and generally better for all other MRI studies. You might wonder why hasn’t your doctor mentioned this. Most doctors in this area have never called our center to ask about the benefits of 3T MRI versus other MRI scanners. A 3T MRI scanner shows details that no other scanner can see.

As I write this article, it is still October—still a month dedicated to promoting a greater awareness of Breast Cancer. I want women with a family history of ovarian or breast cancer to read this article very carefully. Genetic testing is being discussed more and more and many doctors are confused as how it fits into responsible patient care. Some claim that testing has not yet been proven to save lives. However, it is absolutely important to know if you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. These cancer genes, if present, can quadruple your chance of getting cancer.

Dr. Philip Chao of 3TMRI offers information to help you make a more educated decision when it comes to choosing an MRI center for your family. Discussing everything from speed and safety, to comfort and quality.

3T MRI is simply the best MRI available today it has the highest quality, clearest images, and is the fastest. The “T” stands for Tesla and is used to talk about magnet strength—a bit like Megapixels with digital cameras. The more “T”, the better the detail of the pictures.