Stormont-Vail HealthCare
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FAMILY HEALTH Think it could be your heart? Call 911 . . . . . . 4 Pumpkin More Than Just for Show . . . . . . . 6 LIFESTYLES Making Sense of Healthy News . . . . . . . . . . . 8 MEDICAL NEWS Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Gets Patients Back Quicker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Stormont-Vail WoundCare Center® Celebrates 10 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Stormont-Vail Provides State-of-the-Art Prostate Cancer Treatments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 CALENDAR Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Support Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Family Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Parenting Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 HealthWise 55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Healthy Fall 2014
TIMES
Stormont-Vail HealthCare’s
New 3T High-Field Magnet is Drawing Attraction Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a non-invasive test that uses magnetic waves to take two- and three-dimensional pictures of the inside of the body. An MRI scanner can look at body parts, organs, and tissues, from head to toe. Stormont-Vail HealthCare installed a new, high-field strength 3T MRI in March 2014. This advanced scanner allows for faster scans, clearer images and more accurate diagnoses. The increased image clarity of the 3T scan provides more magnetic strength and has approximately 60 percent greater signal or “data” from the patient compared to lower field magnets, which provides physicians with a better diagnostic tool. It is particularly beneficial for pathological conditions involving the brain, spine and musculoskeletal systems. “The 3T magnet has a cleaner, crisper image,” said Johannes Heyns, M.D., radiologist at StormontVail HealthCare. “This means a better acquisition and detail of pathology. You can detect abnormalities on a very small scale, which allows for a more specific and firmer diagnosis.” Since the 3T magnet produces more detailed images, they have a greater resolution enabling the identification of smaller lesions and anatomical structures. The images have a lower distortion also – lessening the need for repeat scans.
“Patients can spend a shorter amount of time inside the magnet which helps with overall comfort and patient anxiety,” said Heyns. Some patients may not be suitable for the stronger 3T magnet, such as those with certain metal in their bodies or those who have had extensive dental work. The new 3T is the first in the Topeka community and it joins the two other highfield MRIs at Stormont-Vail to offer complete MRI services. – Linda Ruiz (Continued on page 2)