MEDIA ADVISORY: Mayo Clinic first in the United States to install new, high field, open MRI

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

What
Journalists are invited to experience for themselves what it's like to undergo a lumbar spinal exam in the country's first open bore, 1.5 Tesla, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system that combines a larger bore, or opening, for obese and claustrophobic patients with the ability to capture high-field quality diagnostic images.

Who
Staff from Mayo Clinic and Siemens Medical Solutions will brief members of the press about MRI and trends in this imaging modality with a look at how new technology used in the MAGNETOM Espree(tm) tackles patient comfort and size issues, the need for advanced clinical value and a cost-effective approach.

When
Monday, 10:00 a.m., Sept. 20, 2004

Where
Mayo Clinic
4500 San Pablo Road
Jacksonville, FL 32224

Why
All patients, regardless of physical or physiological differences, deserve the same access to high quality MRI technology used for detection, diagnosis and treatment planning of disease. The 'open' MR systems on the market before today were simply not up to today's standard in image quality, and they only marginally addressed issues related to patient size and discomfort.

Media Contacts
Erik Kaldor
Mayo Clinic
(904) 953-2299
kaldor.erik@mayo.edu

LuJean Smith
Siemens Medical Solutions
(425) 432-9601
lujean.smith@siemens.com

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