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Health Sciences North approved for a second MRI

Funding provided for the purchase and retrofitting of existing equipment
MRI
(File)

Health Sciences North (HSN) has been approved by the Ontario Ministry of Health to operate a second magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine to better serve those in the northeast region.

A MRI is a medical imaging tool that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create imaging of a patient’s organs and tissue, to assist in diagnosis and less invasive treatments.

In addition to this new equipment, the health center will also be retrofitting its current MRI that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We have patients coming here for MRI appointments at 3 a.m.,” says Dr. Killian De Blacam, President of the Medical Staff at HSN. “They’re often travelling long distances in harsh conditions from outside Greater Sudbury -- so a second machine will mean faster access to scans and more patient-friendly hours.

“As Northeastern Ontario’s academic health sciences center, it is essential HSN be well equipped with state-of-the-art technology to support its regional role in areas like thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, cardiology, oncology and pediatrics.”

This upgrade to HSN was made possible through support of the Health Sciences North Foundation, which raised around $7-million to retrofit the existing equipment and contribute $3.5-million towards purchase of the MRI. 

“Fundraising for the remaining $3.5 million will be the collective focus of our three foundations so we can make this project a reality, on time,” says Anthony Keating, President and Chief Development Officer of HSN’s foundations and volunteer groups. “We’ve already had tremendous support from the community for this project and will need the continued support from our donors and the community to make this project a reality.”

HSN plans to have the two full-functioning MRIs in operation by the first half of 2021.


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