Earlier this summer, Humber River Hospital welcomed a new leading-edge MRI machine – the SIGNA Artist – to its Medical Imaging Program.

Already, the machine has allowed staff in the Medical Imaging Program to scan an additional 700 patients. In a few weeks when the evening shift begins using the machine too, the Program expects to scan 1,400 more patients from October until the end of the year using the SIGNA Artist.

The team reports that the turnaround time for inpatients needing a scan has been reduced by an average of 50% in the time that the SIGNA Artist has been in use.

The new MRI machine was purchased thanks to the incredible hard work of the Volunteer Association. The SIGNA Artist is the most versatile, adaptable, and powerful MRI technology available today. With it, the Medical Imaging team at Humber will be able to produce sharper scans, faster. That means quicker diagnosis, swifter patient flow, enhanced comfort, and reduced wait times overall.

The community has quickly come together to support the cost of the MRI Program including the renovations, software and team building required for installing the SIGNA Artist: This September, a group of cyclists called Team Revolution travelled to Italy to participate in a grueling mountain climb as well as a challenging race to raise funds, and in August, Humber River Hospital Foundation’s annual golf tournament helped raise funds for the MRI Program.

About the SIGNA Artist:

The SIGNA Artist MRI is designed to improve patient comfort. For example:

• It features a larger opening, soft lighting and soothing fans to lessen the “claustrophobic” feeling common to some other MRI units.
• It also has a wider table laid with comfortable memory foam which is not only more comfortable for patients, but will enable easier patient positioning.
• Redesigned shoulder and knee coils offer more flexibility for our patients undergoing often-challenging joint scans, while delivering consistent, motion-free images.

Advanced Software Delivers Faster, Higher Quality Images:

Our new MRI is powered by the SIGNA Works productivity platform, an extensive set of high-quality, highly efficient imaging capabilities. It also takes advantage of Total Digital Imaging, which advances diagnostics and speeds throughput.

The revolutionary MAGiC application enables technologists to produce multiple different brain images from a single, five-minute neurological scan—one-third of the time traditionally required. This unique capability will provide enhanced clinical flexibility while making more time available for advanced imaging.