On Wednesday, April 17, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at New Ulm Medical Center was decommissioned to make room for a new and improved MRI.

“The old machine has served us well,” said Nathan Groebner, MD, a radiologist and medical director at New Ulm Medical Center. “But it was 14 years old, and advancing technology has made it less effective than newer models, which can do more and do it more quickly, effectively and accurately.”

MRI uses a strong magnet and radio waves to create extremely detailed images of soft tissue in the body. The most common tissues examined are joints, such as the knees, shoulders and spine, as well as the liver, heart, brain and breast.

“We see a lot of patients with knee or shoulder injuries as well as chronic, long-term pain in their shoulders,” said Angela Honstad, MD, orthopedic surgeon at New Ulm Medical Center Clinic. “The MRI can be a key test for helping us identify causes of their pain and determine the best course of treatment.”

The new MRI offers many improvements over the older technology. “One of the ways this new machine is superior is that we can now offer breast MRIs for women who have breast cancer or who may be at high risk for breast cancer,” said Groebner.

The new MRI has also has features that patients will like. “For instance, one of the biggest complaints patients have about receiving an MRI is claustrophobia, a feeling of uneasiness from being in a confined space,” said Jane Stueber, radiology manager at New Ulm Medical Center. “The new machine has a larger opening and is shorter, which may often result in the patient’s head not being enclosed. In addition, the table is more comfortable and scanning times will be reduced on most exams. Overall, the new MRI will provide a more comfortable exper- ience for our patients.”

Other features are:

• Advanced software that increases image quality and accuracy

• Improved technology that reduces time spent receiving the scan

• Quiet Suite, an advanced noise reduction technology to make it less noisy and allow the patient to listen to music

The New Ulm Medical Center Radiology Department is accredited by the American College of Radiology, which is one of the highest measures of quality. In addition to expert community radio- logists, the Radiology department is also staffed by radiology subspecialists, such as neuroradiologists or mus- culoskeletal radiologists.

“The new MRI is an example of our commitment our commu- nity,” said Groebner. “It is an investment from Allina Health to the health of our deserving patients, neighbors and friends.” The new scanner is scheduled to be operational at the end of June or early July. In the meantime, a temporary MRI is on site so that patients can continue to receive care.

For more information, visit the medical imaging pages at allinahealth.org/newulm.