Hospital's new intraoperative MRI provides real-time images

Nicklaus Children's Hospital, a part of Miami Children’s Health System, has recently installed a new intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) system that is able to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy brain tissue and improve accuracy for surgeons removing tumors.

The IMRIS Surgical Theatre system is attached to the ceiling track system for easy transportation into the operating room, and gives high-resolution magnetic resonance images of the selected area in real-time. This give surgeons the operation to change their course before the procedure and acts as a GPS in navigating through healthy and unhealthy brain tissue.

"The Intraoperative MRI supports our neurosurgical team in maximizing resection of abnormal tissue in the safest manner possible," said John Ragheb, MD, Director of the Division of Neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children's. "Studies demonstrate that use of an intraoperative MRI improves safety and the effectiveness of surgery, therefore giving the best possible neurosurgical results in the hands of an experienced surgical team."

The iMRI is integrated with the hospital's Brainlab Cranial neuro-navigation application, providing technology provides surgeons with "GPS-like guidance" within the brain.