Calming Mary's nerves thanks to an open MRI
It was New Year’s Eve. Normally, Mary Bird would have been ringing in the New Year in the company of friends and family but, that day, she had just been admitted to the hospital. The diagnosis? A subdural hematoma, a potentially life-threatening form of stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel close to the surface of the brain bursts.
Mary was rushed to the hospital, where she stayed for 21 days. There, she received the care she needed to recover from her stroke, including a magnetic resource imaging (MRI) test to examine the brain cells damaged as a result of her stroke and ensure she was healing properly. Though she knew the test was necessary, she admits it didn’t go as smoothly as she had hoped.
“I was so nervous during the whole MRI process, and had had a bad experience during my stay. I dreaded the thought of having to do another one,” she says.
Unfortunately, Bird knew that recovering from a stroke would mean she couldn’t escape the dreaded MRI for long. Following her hospital stay, she visited Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital in Malvern for stroke rehab, working with her therapists over the course of seven weeks to get her back on her feet and into good health. Before she knew it, it was March. It was time for another MRI.
Following a recommendation from the team at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, Bird decided to visit Main Line Health Exton Square Mall for her upcoming MRI. The health center, which offers a full range of quality imaging services, was close to home for the Phoenixville native.
Bird admits she was nervous walking into the health center, but says she was instantly calmed by the environment and, above all, the staff.
“The staff made sure I was comfortable during every step of the process. Someone greeted me when I walked in, I was able choose my soundtrack during my MRI, and I was kept updated throughout the procedure,” she recalls. “It was a wonderful experience all around.”
Bird’s MRI was conducted using the Siemens 1.5T MAGNETOM Aera, the first of its kind in Chester County. The machine offers superior software applications for faster exam times, significant equipment upgrades, and an open architecture design that is ideal for patients with anxiety and claustrophobia, as well as bariatric patients.
“With this new, innovative MRI technology, we are able to offer a new standard of imaging care to Chester County residents,” says Robert Pinsk, MD, campus chief of Radiology at Paoli Hospital. “Matched with our highly-skilled, board-certified radiologists, we’re able to provide a superior experience for our patients.”
And Bird agrees that her experience was a superior one. From the friendly staff to the convenient hours and location, she says her experience at Main Line Health Exton Square will be her MRI destination going forward.
“If I had to go back for an MRI, that’s the first place I would go, and I wouldn’t be fearful about having one done anymore,” she says. “I’ve been telling people about Exton ever since my visit, and I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”