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In a league all its ownAt the New Ulm Medical Center, waiting areas and exam rooms aren’t the only things that got bigger with the construction project. The radiology department grew substantially and is now home to two new pieces of state-of-the-art equipment. A magnetic resonance imaging machine and nuclear medicine equipment were delivered to the medical center in the beginning of May. “Basically anything a patient would need for special imaging or radiology services is now offered in-house at the New Ulm Medical Center,” said Kathleen Bauer, manager of the radiology department. Radiologist Markham Fischer, M.D., said the equipment mirrors the technology found in major, urban medical centers, such as Abbott Northwestern or the University of Minnesota hospital system. “Having the MRI and nuclear medicine equipment in-house is helping New Ulm and the medical community meet and exceed the standards that are expected for a hospital of this size,” Fischer said. “The type of equipment we now have is very similar to what’s found at any large hospital or research institution. When we perform scans here, radiologists at other large health care facilities will be able to compare the quality of images we produce to the images they themselves produce.” Mark Johnson, senior project manager for Siemens Medical, the group that made the MRI machine, said it is a bit unusual in his experience for a health facility the size of New Ulm’s to possess such a cutting edge device. “This medical center is definitely at the forefront,” Johnson said. Prior to housing the technologies, the Medical Center relied on mobile units to provide its patients with the services. Fischer said using a mobile MRI unit was far from an ideal situation. “To reach the MRI truck, patients had to go outside during the winter, and we all know it’s cold here many months of the year,” he said. “And patients would have to walk up an elevation and the door to the unit would have to be opened, letting in cold air. “The new arrangement is much more comfortable for the patients – there is more room in the area where the MRI is located, the opening to the machine is much bigger, so patients won’t feel as claustrophobic. Because the MRI room is connected to the rest of the medical center and patients can be medically monitored during their exam, medications, such as light anesthetics, can be given to certain people to help allay phobias.” The MRI allows radiologists to take an unparalleled look inside the soft tissues of the human body at a level of detail other machines cannot emulate. Using magnetic forces, the machine can decipher between tissue types and determine whether specific tissues should or should not be in the body. It is then able to integrate images of the different tissue types into a 2 or 3-dimensional representation of the body. “We currently use x-rays to visualize and differentiate bone structure from soft tissue. It is a one dimensional picture,” said Bauer. “We use a CT scan to take cross sectional and 3-D images of bones and soft tissue or organs. CT is able to differentiate between organs, arteries and veins and is widely used for diagnosing disease or other abnormalities.” “With MRI we are at yet another level, where we’re using a magnet and can see the bones and the different tissues, but get an even more refined image of the tendons, ligaments, nerves, arteries, veins and actual detail of the tissue in all the organs, without an invasive procedure,” added Bauer. “Each modality, whether x-ray, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine or ultrasound has its specific place in diagnosing disease and determining treatment. Your physician and the radiologist will determine which exam is most appropriate for your situation.” The new nuclear medicine equipment also gives doctors more precision when they’re looking for problem areas in the body. Bauer said this technology works by injecting a radioactive drug through a patient’s veins. The chemicals are attracted to areas that consume large amounts of blood – also areas where tumors may be located. Using special cameras, doctors are able to view these areas and determine the reason for the blood consumption. The technology is also used to help doctors examine areas in and around the heart to make sure blood is flowing normally. Bauer credits Minneapolis-based Consolidated Radiology, Limited for the medical center’s ability to house the MRI and nuclear medicine equipment. Not only does the group partner with the medical center to immediately read and interpret images produced by the radiology department via a computer network, but CRL was the agency that purchased the MRI and nuclear medicine equipment, at a cost of nearly $2 million. “One of the huge benefits of being a part of Allina Hospitals and Clinics is that we have relationships with groups like CRL,” Bauer said. “Without being a part of Allina, we would not be able to have an MRI or nuclear equipment. As Allina, we have a wonderful advantage – we are able to bring in state-of-the-art equipment to stay abreast with technology.” Fischer agreed, adding, “We’re very excited about this addition. It’s much needed in the community and people in New Ulm deserve this type of health care service.”  Back to Health Edition |
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New Ulm Medical Center
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