Planning Your Mobile MRI Site

Do you want to offer MRI, CT and PET/CT Scans but you don’t have room for a full imaging suite? No worries, because there are interim imaging solutions available that are convenient, mobile and available when you need them.

To establish a Mobile MRI site, it takes a lot of planning. The experts at Atlantis Worldwide put together this site planning guide to help you determine if a Mobile MRI Site is right for you.

Choosing The Location

There are a lot of considerations in choosing the correct site for your Mobile MRI. Here are just a few.

• Your site can’t have high voltage power lines or moving metal objects like emergency vehicles, helicopter landings, forklifts or automobile traffic, as they can cause vibrations that will interfere with the MRI machine and affect the image quality.
• You need appropriate ventilation for generator outflow, in case weather conditions force the use of a generator to power the MRI unit. Fumes and soot are created by diesel-fueled generators.
• A clean water source is required for your Mobile MRI machine. It has a water storage tank for the humidifier which needs to be filled in order to provide a consistent humidity level to deliver ideal image quality. If the weather is going to be cold, you may need to use a weather-protected water supply line in order to prevent the pipes from freezing.
• You’ll need a space large enough to provide adequate parking for the MRI Mobile unit, usually about 60 ft. in length. The driver will need this space to maneuver the MRI trailer. In addition, there can’t be sharp dips, curbs, bumps or other parking lot anomalies that could impede clearance for the MRI Mobile Unit’s path. You’ll also need to provide patient parking around the Mobile MRI site as well as parking for service engineers and imaging staff.

Power Requirements

A constant source of power is required at your Mobile MRI unit before the unit is delivered to the site. You’ll need a 480v 3-phone Russellstoll power receptacle nearby and a 50 ft. shoreline located in the rear skirt compartment of the unit that can be easily accessed either from the curbside or roadside. When the shoreline is connected to the Russellstoll power receptacle, you’ll have shore power.

In the event that you lose power on site, you’ll need to start the onboard generator in order to maintain constant connection to power. However, using an onboard generator to constantly power the unit is not recommended.

Connections

While your Mobile MRI unit has telephone connections, data line connections and connecting cables, you’ll need to provide weatherproof data outlets and additional cables required to connect your data and phone lines. Your IT staff will need to install an exterior network connection near your power connection, so the system in the trailer can connect to your network and relay images to your PACS system.

Talk To An Expert

As you explore your options for a Mobile MRI unit or MRI Suite, it’s always wise to talk to an expert. Atlantis Worldwide has been helping hospitals, clinics, urgent care facilities, veterinary clinics and other healthcare operations with their medical imaging needs for more than 30 years. Talk to Atlantis Worldwide today.

Contact Us Today!

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Meet the author: Vikki Harmonay