The expanded suite includes a fourth MRI scanner, added prep and recovery areas, and a dedicated space for anesthesia support.
UVA Health University Medical Center has opened an expanded magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite to improve patient access and streamline workflow. The upgrade includes a fourth MRI scanner, expanded preparation and recovery space, and a designated anesthesia support area for patients requiring sedation.
The medical center previously operated three MRI scanners, with overflow scans conducted in a small building behind the hospital during the nearly four-year expansion project.
“This is a state-of-the-art facility,” says Colin Derdeyn, MD, chair of UVA Health’s Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, in a release. “It’s a better place to work, and it allows us to provide better care for our patients.”
James Carnes, medical center administrator for UVA Radiology, says the additional scanner and updated design are expected to significantly improve imaging workflow. “The new design overcomes a lot of barriers we had for communication by members of the team, as well as being able to monitor patients efficiently,” he says in a release.
The project also includes space for a future fifth MRI scanner, which could further increase imaging capacity as patient volume grows.
Photo caption: UVA Health’s expanded MRI suite is expected to better serve the thousands of patients who need scans annually.
Photo credit: UVA Health University Medical Center
