Turville Bay MRI & Radiation Oncology Center

Siemens Magnetom Symphony

The Siemens Magnetom Symphony is an advanced high speed, short bore, 1.5 Tesla MRI system. It has a short 1.6 m (5’3”) length and a 60 cm (almost 2’) inside diameter with a flared 120 cm (4’) opening. This, combined with lighting, ventilation, and communications, creates an extremely patient-friendly design. The 1.5 Tesla high-field magnet, with an advanced gradient coil system, provides fast, accurate images. The software automates most imaging processes, making it faster and simpler for the clinician. This high-field unit (1.5 Tesla or greater) tends to be faster, which means less time in the tube and less patient discomfort.

The Symphony scanner is a short-bore magnet that combines the accuracy of a conventional bore scanner and the comfort of an open MRI scan. Although it is not completely open, because of the short tunnel, it is much less constrictive and still produces a high field.

Most modern high-field magnets are now designed with these shorter tunnels (short-bore architecture) and, theoretically, maintain the highest image quality while minimizing claustrophobia and easing discomfort for those patients who are in a lot of pain.

Some patients who may have difficulty with a traditional MRI scan include:
Claustrophobia. A small percentage of patients are claustrophobic and cannot tolerate the confined space within the magnet. The vast majority of these individuals will be sufficiently relaxed with sedatives taken orally. All of the highest resolution MRI scanners are performed in a tube-like structure, which may accentuate the claustrophobic reaction.
Size. The MRI scanner is a confined space, and some patients may be too large to fit in the scanner. Some MRI scanners also have weight limits. Weight limit for all of Turville Bay scanners is 440 lbs.
Pain. If a patient is in a lot of pain, lying still for a prolonged period may not be well tolerated.