“You can’t run a radiology practice without an MRI,” Franz Walter, MD, is convinced: “Demand from referrers and patients for radiation-free imaging is growing steadily.” This is why the radiologist invested in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) immediately after taking over the recently outsourced radiology practice of the Evangelische Krankenhaus in Zweibrücken, Germany. Zhen Jin, MD, agrees. The Director of the MRI Center at Hospital 306 in Beijing, China, looks back on 13 years of MRI service at her institute – and installed two additional systems last year: a 3 Tesla MAGNETOM® Trio and a 1.5 Tesla MAGNETOM ESSENZA. The decision for the 1.5 Tesla system was a natural one for both: “It is the first system that is optimized for cost of ownership. Zero helium boil-off and a 50 percent lower electricity consumption compared to conventional systems are just two examples for its affordability,” says Walter.

“We wanted a robust system for clinical use to allow more time for research in the MAGNETOM Trio,” Zhen Jin explains the reason for buying two systems within such a short timeframe. The 1.5 Tesla MAGNETOM ESSENZA offers full diagnostic capabilities thanks to Tim® (Total imaging matrix). Tim provides flexibility through versatile coil combinations, accuracy through high signal strength and spatial resolution, and speed resulting from parallel imaging. It offers access to the applications needed for both an outpatient practice and a primary care hospital. Zhen Jin also appreciates the integrated IsoCenter Matrix coil of the MAGNETOM ESSENZA. Thus the region of interest is always at the center of the magnetic field, which improves workflow as coil repositioning and change is obsolete.

With 28 patients a day, Zhen Jin is also happy with the speed of the exams, as is Walter with 22 exams per shift, which include outpatients as well as referrals from within the hospital. Walter mentions a Parkinson patient who was referred for an angio exam. First he was skeptical about being able to achieve diagnostic image quality. Thanks to the system`s fast sequences, movement artifacts were reduced and the images were good for diagnosis. “From a technological perspective, MAGNETOM ESSENZA is definitely up to date,” he sums up.