Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (iMRI) is one of the neuroimaging technologies we use to care for children who need brain surgery.
Located in our surgery suite, the iMRI is used for pre-surgical mapping and during brain surgery. It provides our doctors and nurses with the highest quality structural image of your child’s brain. We are one of the first children’s hospitals in the country with a 3T intraoperative MRI.
The Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging is an important tool in brain tumor removal surgeries. Surgeons are able to collect scans without moving the patient from the surgical table during surgery, ensuring that the optimum position is maintained. This also eliminates the need, in many cases, for additional sedation or additional surgeries.
Since opening an iMRI suite in January 2010, the percentage of patients returning to the OR has decreased by 6.41 percent. During this same period, the number of patients has increased by 50 percent.
iMRI is also used for functional testing in patients who are being considered for surgery. The information the iMRI provides complements the Neuroscience Institute’s other advanced diagnostic tools – magnetoencephalography (MEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). When used together, these technologies allow our experts to create a plan of care specific for your child.
