Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a provider of hospital care for children in California, has opened its new Cardiac Imaging Suite for paediatric care.
This 6,650ft2 facility improves access, service, and care for cardiac patients. It features advanced technology that is said to be not available at any other paediatric centre in the US.
The suite houses the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Siemens FreeMax 0.55 Tesla MRI system, the first of its kind for paediatrics.
This advanced machine offers new ways to image children’s hearts, lungs, and more.
The Cardiac Imaging Suite at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles also includes the Siemens Sola 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, five patient prep and recovery bays, an anaesthesia induction room, and space for a future cardiac CT scanner.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said the 1.5T magnet delivers superior image clarity, offering high-resolution images and faster scan times.
The suite also provides specialised stress testing for myocardial perfusion, addressing heart blood flow issues.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles heart institute co-director and division of cardiology chief Paul Kantor said: “It’s a commitment we take seriously as one of the top paediatric cardiology and heart surgery programmes in the country that routinely treats some of the most complex cardiac patients.
“We are thrilled to be the first in the US offering this groundbreaking new technology to children and could not be more excited to harness this machine to further research and develop new applications in paediatric and foetal imaging.”
According to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, low-field MRI provides diagnostic-quality heart images in a quieter, more spacious environment. With a magnet strength three to six times lower than conventional systems, it offers a safer and more comfortable experience for children.
The weaker signal allows for motion accommodation, making it ideal for imaging foetuses, the heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Low-field MRI also reduces the need for general anaesthesia in children as young as four or five, using alternative pain management methods like virtual reality goggles.
Additionally, it’s beneficial for patients with metal implants or larger body sizes, where ultrasound or CT scans may be challenging, the hospital care provider said.
