A new, roomier MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine with capabilities of imaging the whole body, fully funded by the Tata Trusts was commissioned at Poona’s Jehangir Hospital on September 13, 2018. Hospital chairman and trustee Sir Cowasji Jehangir told Parsiana that "the 48 channel 3 tesla (the unit of measurement quantifying the strength of a magnetic field) MRI equipment is a very sophisticated machine and physicians, radiology experts, and health care teams are able to provide quicker diagnosis and more accurate treatment, which improves the chances of seeing a positive outcome… We have a long association with Tata Trusts and as organizations our values and ethics have a great synergy. We are grateful that they have donated the state-of-the-art 3 tesla machine. In fact they had generously donated the earlier MRI machine as well. We hope to continue with this association for a long time so that together we can work towards providing sophisticated health care to the needy at an affordable cost.” Also present at the commissioning ceremony were trustee Lady Jasmine Jehangir, chief executive officer and director of the Hospital George Eapen, and chief finance officer and company secretary of Tata Trusts Burzis Taraporevala.
The Magnetom machine doubles the strength of the MRI capabilities already available at the Hospital. The machine’s open-bore design reduces patient anxiety and the "head-out” examinations are ideal for claustrophobic patients. The new machine is less noisy than earlier versions and with a width of 70 cm, it is more comfortable for patients during scanning.
Above, 1st row: New MRI machine and related peripherals;
2nd row: at the commissioning (from l) Burzis Taraporevala (1st), Lady Jasmine Jehangir (3rd),
Sir Cowasji Jehangir (4th), George Eapen (5th) with others
Dr Vikash Ojha, senior consultant and head of the Hospital’s radio-diagnosis and imaging department, explained, "Given the greater level of patient comfort, sedation rates are reduced…Thanks to these technical advantages, details of joints, angiography details and minute observations in the brain are picked up very well. The new MRI is not only faster but also more accurate in picking up pathology.” According to the Hospital authorities, the wide-bore machine, manufactured by Siemens Healthineers, offers whole body imaging in a single examination with excellent image quality, accuracy and speed, and can be used for a variety of medical tests including musculoskeletal imaging, cartilage mapping, arthrography and fistulography among others. "All these services will be offered at competitive market prices,” Ojha pointed out. "In fact, our rates are much lower than those of other corporate hospitals and diagnostic centers.”
Delshad Karanjia