What Is an Open MRI? 3 Things to Know

The medical world has experienced a revolution in the last century, and one of the more recent developments of this revolution is the MRI, which was first performed in 1977.

At this point, you might be asking what is an MRI. MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging and describes a process in which atoms are exposed to a magnetic field, and their reactions are tracked. Tracking the energy given off by the atoms during this process results in an accurate picture of the human body.

One of the most interesting types of MRI is the open MRI. What is an open MRI? We’ll talk about that in this article.

1. MRIs: Open and Closed

There are two types f MRI, open and closed. What is a closed MRI? It’s an MRI that takes place in a tube-like machine where all sides are enclosed.

Open MRIs, meanwhile, are performed in a newer type of MRI machine that uses only scanners in the top or bottom of the machine and leaves the sides open. While this might sound like a trivial change, there are several legitimate reasons and benefits to open MRIs.

Before we discuss the differences in detail, we should note that the two types of MRI have a lot in common. Both take full body scans and, these days, both can do high-quality scans. You also need Radiology CE courses and a medical degree to handle both of them. 

2. Preventing Claustrophobia

One of the biggest issues with closed MRIs is that a lot of patients are reluctant to use them due to claustrophobia. Claustrophobia is a fear of enclosed spaces that affects roughly one in every 20 Americans.

Doctors typically see multiple patients per day and usually manage several cases at the same time. They probably see claustrophobic patients often. Open MRIs allow these patients to get the treatment they need without making them uncomfortable.

3. Increased Accessibility

People of all backgrounds and medical statuses need MRIs, but closed MRI machines weren’t the best at treating everyone. Closed MRI machines require the user to lie down on a platform while the machine took a scan. The problem is that not everyone can easily get into an MRI machine and lie down.

Open MRI machines don’t have this problem, because they’re often mobile. The MRI machine can move around the patient, so the patient doesn’t have to move in any way that might be difficult for them. It’s also great for those who may have broad shoulders and wouldn’t fit in an MRI machine.

This is also particularly useful for patients who are experiencing a lot of pain. Giving patients an MRI while they are recreating their pain helps doctors diagnose them.

What Is an Open MRI?

What is an open MRI? We’ve answered that question and several others in the paragraphs above, but there’s a lot more to radiology and medicine as a whole. We encourage you to do more research on your own if you’re interested.

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