HRMC’s New MRI Scanner First in the Region
October 25, 2021
Doctor Robert Hohm
board-certified internist at
Tschetter & Hohm Clinic
Huron Regional Medical Center’s new digital broadband MRI scanner, Philips Ingenia Ambition 1.5T, delivers revealing images that help physicians identify and pinpoint any potential problems.
“Every step forward is an improvement,” said Dr. Robert Hohm, a board-certified internist with the Tschetter & Hohm Clinic. “It’s so much more enjoyable to practice medicine nowadays because of the diagnostics we have. Diagnostics in this institution comes out of radiology. The imaging we can do now is phenomenal.”
HRMC is the first facility in the region to offer this fast, helium-free digital broadband scanner that features a larger bore, or patient platform, to accommodate patients of varying size, age and physical condition.
The 70 cm bore is more open and less confining than older 60 cm MRI systems. This new system, which is currently being installed at HRMC, is not only minimally invasive, it’s minimally intimidating.
The revolutionary system delivers superb image resolution, 50 % faster exams, a more open patient experience, and a first-of-its-kind audio and visual component, ComforTone, designed to help patients relax and reduce anxiety by allowing them to watch and listen to the entertainment of their choosing during the scan.
Routine exams of the brain, spine, knee, ankle and liver are quick and easy. And even more complex scans may only last 15 to 40 minutes. In addition to the speed and clarity, the technology uses less helium than other MRI models – helping to save the precious natural resource.
Chad Moser, RT (R)(MR), PACS administrator
& MRI lead uses the new Philips Ingenia Ambition 1.5T
This new technology represents just one more step HRMC is taking to ensure that patients receive the best care and accurate diagnosis, Dr. Hohm said.
“It’s one of the tools in a physician’s toolbox that helps even if we have to send out for specialists,” said Dr. Hohm, who has been practicing for 45 years.
“When I started to practice medicine, we had nuclear medicine and ultrasound, to a very minimal degree,” he said. “Now look what you have. You take it for granted. I saw my first CAT scan the last three months of my residency, called an EMI, that was developed in England.
“The progression continues, the accuracy and resolution continue to improve,” Dr. Hohm said. “Speed continues to improve. The interpretation is improved because of the enhanced resolution. Every generation is an improvement.”
“Images of those nuclear scans or early CAT scans from years ago was like looking at shadows compared to the clear, concise images provided by the Philips Ingenia Ambition 1.5T,” Hohm said.
That is crucial when treating patients. “It’s all a chain that cannot have a weak link,” Dr. Hohm said.
“It is so much more enjoyable to practice medicine nowadays because of the diagnostics we have,” he added. “The imaging we can do now is phenomenal. I was in it before significant imaging was available. Now, I don’t want to go back there. I don’t even want to think about it.”
The new MRI scanner is planned to be operational mid-October. Talk with your doctor or health care provider about scheduling an MRI at HRMC.
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