Filedity Bank helps 37 Hospital to acquire MRI

MAGNETIC Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the newest and perhaps the most versatile medical imaging technology available. Doctors can get highly refined images of the body's interior without surgery.
MRI uses strong magnets and pulses of radio waves to manipulate the natural magnetic properties in the body and also gives better images of organs and soft tissues than other scanning technologies.
MRI is particularly useful for examining the brain and spine, as well as the soft tissues of joints and the interior structure of bones. The technique, which makes the entire body visible, poses few known health risks as compared to other equipment such as X’ray machines.
This is the equipment Fidelity Bank assisted the 37 Military Hospital to acquire in September, 2009 for the health needs of Ghanaians.
The assistance, which was provided under a special loan agreement, included the cost of the equipment as well as the setting up of the facility at the hospital premises.
During a tour of the facility, the Brands and Public Relations Manager of Fidelity Bank, Mr Kojo Ofori Yeboah said, the bank provided an amount of GH¢2.6 million for the purchase of the MRI scanner and further donated GH¢20,000 for the equipment to be installed at the hospital.
He said Fidelity Bank agreed to support the hospital to acquire the equipment so that the large number of Ghanaians who usually had to wait for days at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for such services could access it easily and on time.
For his part, a Medical Physicist at the MRI Unit at the 37 Military Hospital, Captain Richard Otchere Mintah, said the unit was currently being under-utilised.
He explained that instead of attending to about 40 clients with varied health conditions a day, an average of 10 clients were attended to, a figure he considered far below target.
That could be attributed to the fact that many doctors were not aware of the existence of such a facility at the hospital to enable them refer patients for further and more reliable tests.
He said as of June 10, 2010, a total of 609 clients made up of both children and adults, had been attended to.
“Instead of joining a queue at Korle-Bu, one can just walk to the unit here and immediately have everything done”, said Captain Mintah.
He said since its commissioning on September 7, 2009, the equipment had helped to examine people with problems at various parts of their bodies which included the brain, neck (cervical), spine, pelvic joints, breasts, uterus, liver, kidney, lungs and the heart, among other parts.
Explaining why the public should choose the MRI unit at the 37 Military Hospital for their health needs, Captain Mintah said with military personnel as managers, clients were assured of a “combination of professionalism and military experience to deliver” adding that, “We in the military hardly promise, so when we promise, we deliver”.
He noted that the equipment was good for every individual except people with pace-makers and other metal implants which could attract the magnet in the equipment adding that each time someone came for examination, such issues were explained to the person.
He pointed out that the use of the MRI for testing was safer and more accurate than the traditional X-ray machine which was good at working on bones but not on other tissues of the body. He also touched on risks associated with the use of an X-ray machine which were absent in MRIs.
The use of the MRI, although looks complex,is supposed to be comfortable for the patient.
At the facility, Captain Mintah explained how it operated, saying that regardless of the area of the body targeted, the procedure involved in detecting a particular health condition occurred in a special MRI suite.
He said patients had to lie on their back on a narrow table and made as comfortable as possible and then transmitters were positioned on the body and the cushioned table that the patient was lying on which moves into a long tube that houses the magnet.
The tube, as shown to this reporter is as long as an average adult lying down, and opens at both ends.
Once the area to be examined has been properly positioned, a radio pulse is applied. Then a two-dimensional image corresponding to one slices through the area. The table then moves a fraction of an inch and the next image is made. Each image exposure takes several seconds and the entire exam lasts anywhere from 15-90 minutes.
Captain Mintah said the unit had 24 hour electricity supply and therefore the issue of power outages would not be a problem.
Additional information gathered from medical journals indicated that for the head and neck to be examined, a helmet-like hat is worn, to protect the spine, chest, and abdomen because the patient will be lying on the transmitters. For the knee, shoulder, or other joints, the transmitters will be applied directly to the joint.
Captain Mintah explained that the system was the latest in the area of medical examinations and urged doctors who were not aware of the existence of the facility at the 37 Military Hospital to direct their patients there for excellent services.
Charges for the use of the equipment range from GH¢500 upwards depending on the part of the body to be examined and the number of tests involved.