Florida Hospital Tests New Machine to Lessen Risks of MRI Contrast Side Effects

Bradenton, FLA Manatee County hospital upgraded its medical scanning technology in an attempt to reduce the risks of MRI contrast side effects.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">The Toshiba Titan is a powerful open-bore magnetic resonance imager (MRI) that addresses some of the design flaws of MRI models that are more prevalent in the American hospital system. Using a 1.5 tesla magnet and a 71-centimeter-wide bore, the device not only enables some patients to receive a medical scan with their head outside of the machine (alleviating concerns for claustrophobic patients) but also allows for fresh blood imaging without the use of contrast agents.

By eliminating the need for potentially harmful contrast agents containing the metal gadolinium, the new device will effectively remove the risk of MRI kidney diseases like Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis and Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy.

"The beauty of MRI is you can get great pictures [with] no radiation," Dr. James R Chatham, a radiologist at the Manatee Diagnostic Center, told Bradenton.com. "Now they're taking it to the next step, taking images of blood vessels without giving the patients contrasts."