Doctor's Corner

 In magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), the strength of the magnet that is used to create the images plays a big role in determining what those images look like.  The stronger the magnet is, the more force it exerts on the protons in our bodies, causing them to give off stronger radio waves that produce sharper images in a shorter amount of time.  The unit used to measure the strength of a magnet is called a tesla (T), named for Dr. Nikola Tesla, one of the pioneering scientists who investigated the uses of electromagnetism.

     Since the mid 1980's, the strongest magnets that could be used clinically for MRI were made with a magnetic field strength of 1.5T.  It has been known for a long time that using a stronger magnet would produce better images in a shorter amount of time, but the technical difficulties associated with using strong magnets took decades to overcome.  The engineering difference between an MRI machine at 1.5T versus MRI at 3T is like the difference between making a car that can go 100 miles per hour versus one that can go 200 miles per hour.  The technical challenges have finally been resolved and the 3T MRI machines have been perfected at last, so we are very pleased to be able to bring this exciting new technology to the Waterbury community.

Kenneth Allen, MD