Drawing upon the wide experiencein magent, gradient and RF tech-nology that has made Hitachi therecognized design innovator inpatient- friendly MRI, Echelondelivers high-field clinical utilityfor today’s advanced imaging envi-ronment. Echelon is backed by HitachiMedical Corporation, a recognizedleader in imaging technology.

Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. MKT-15DB1006-12006 ©All rights reserved 0406/30000/9660 Printed in U.S.A.

Whatis

MRI?(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

During your MRI examination,a technologist will be with youand will be able to see you at alltimes. For your convenience, anintercom system is built into theMR imager so that if you needanything, the technologist willbe right there.

In certain instances, a contrastagent may be administered toenhance the study. There are noextra precautions if your physi-cian requires this type of study.Consult the physician or technol-ogist if you have any questions.

1. The magnetic fieldis used to alignhydrogen protons in the body.

2. Radio frequency wavesare absorbed by theprotons and thenemitted as a signal.

3. A radio frequency coilpicks up the signaland transmits it tothe computer.

4. The computerprocesses the dataand an image is generated.

MRI in Action What Else Do I Need To Know?

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 1

How Does MRI Help Me and MyMedical Team?

agnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one form of imaging

modality used by physicians toobtain clinically useful diagnosticinformation. Incorporating advancedtechnology, MRI produces imagesof anatomy without the use ofradiation required with otherimaging modalities, such as x-ray.

MRI combines the physicalproperties of strong magneticfields with radio waves to pro-duce computer-generated softtissue images within any plane of the body. This popular imagingtechnique can be used as a pri-mary diagnostic tool to provide aquick and accurate diagnosis foryour physician. In some situations,this procedure can reduce the needfor further diagnostic proceduresor invasive procedures, such as

exploratory surgery, that mayhave associated complications.

MRI is a noninvasive proce-dure with no known side or after effects. The procedure ispainless; in fact, you won’t see orfeel anything. A knocking soundwill be heard from the machine,which is simply the imagingprocess in operation.

The benefits of magnetic reso-nance imaging are many, andnew applications are beingcontinually developed throughongoing research. The procedureis used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinicalevaluation of the following conditions:

•Brain disorders•Traumatic injuries•Eye abnormalities•Spine diseases•Tumor detection•Liver and other

abdominal diseases•Knee and shoulder injuries•Musculoskeletal disorders•Facial/Neck abnormalities•Infection•Cardiac malformations•Blood flow and vessel

disorders

How Does MRI Operate?

RI images are formed whensignals emitted by body

tissue are processed by softwareand turned into clinical images.These signals are generatedusing a safe magnetic field incombination with radio waves of a specific frequency. Differenttissue characteristics are trans-lated into different contrastlevels on the image.

A typical procedure averages30 minutes or longer, dependingon the type of informationrequired by your physician. Youcan help to make your images asclean as possible by relaxing andremaining still during the exam.Some patients even fall asleepduring the MRI exam.

M

M

What Do I Have To Do To Prepare

For The MRI?

o special preparation isrequired prior to the MRI

exam. You may eat normally andgo about your daily routine.Continue to take any medicationprescribed by your doctor unless otherwise directed.

Prior to entering the scanroom for your exam, you will beasked to leave those items thatare not compatible with a mag-netic field in a safe place outsidethe scan room. Some of theseitems is listed below.•Coins •Hearing aids•Jewelry •Keys•Watches •Hair pins•Glasses •Other metal •Credit cards •objects

You may also be asked toremove make-up and denturesand to wear a hospital gown toavoid magnetic interference from belt buckles and zippers.

Once you are situated on thetable, make sure you are com-fortable so that it is easy to remain still for the duration of the examination. Breathe nor-mally. Once the examination hasbegun, you will hear a knockingsound that represents changes in the magnetic field. This is anormal part of the imagingprocess. At the conclusion of theexam, the technologist will assistyou out of the scan room.

N

•Implanted drug infusion device•Foreign metal objects in the eye•Shrapnel or bullet wounds•Permanent eyeliner

If you are pregnant, please notifyyour physician.

As mentioned previously, youwill be asked to leave items thatare incompatible with the magneticfield outside of the scan room.Other items that may be incom-patible are implants and similaritems. Check with your physicianor MRI technologist if you havehad any brain, ear, or eye surgeriesor have any of the following:•Pacemaker•Neurostimulator (TENS unit)•Metal implants•Intrauterine device (IUD), etc.•Aneurysm clips•Surgical staples

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 2

How Does MRI Help Me and MyMedical Team?

agnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one form of imaging

modality used by physicians toobtain clinically useful diagnosticinformation. Incorporating advancedtechnology, MRI produces imagesof anatomy without the use ofradiation required with otherimaging modalities, such as x-ray.

MRI combines the physicalproperties of strong magneticfields with radio waves to pro-duce computer-generated softtissue images within any plane of the body. This popular imagingtechnique can be used as a pri-mary diagnostic tool to provide aquick and accurate diagnosis foryour physician. In some situations,this procedure can reduce the needfor further diagnostic proceduresor invasive procedures, such as

exploratory surgery, that mayhave associated complications.

MRI is a noninvasive proce-dure with no known side or after effects. The procedure ispainless; in fact, you won’t see orfeel anything. A knocking soundwill be heard from the machine,which is simply the imagingprocess in operation.

The benefits of magnetic reso-nance imaging are many, andnew applications are beingcontinually developed throughongoing research. The procedureis used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinicalevaluation of the following conditions:

•Brain disorders•Traumatic injuries•Eye abnormalities•Spine diseases•Tumor detection•Liver and other

abdominal diseases•Knee and shoulder injuries•Musculoskeletal disorders•Facial/Neck abnormalities•Infection•Cardiac malformations•Blood flow and vessel

disorders

How Does MRI Operate?

RI images are formed whensignals emitted by body

tissue are processed by softwareand turned into clinical images.These signals are generatedusing a safe magnetic field incombination with radio waves of a specific frequency. Differenttissue characteristics are trans-lated into different contrastlevels on the image.

A typical procedure averages30 minutes or longer, dependingon the type of informationrequired by your physician. Youcan help to make your images asclean as possible by relaxing andremaining still during the exam.Some patients even fall asleepduring the MRI exam.

M

M

What Do I Have To Do To Prepare

For The MRI?

o special preparation isrequired prior to the MRI

exam. You may eat normally andgo about your daily routine.Continue to take any medicationprescribed by your doctor unless otherwise directed.

Prior to entering the scanroom for your exam, you will beasked to leave those items thatare not compatible with a mag-netic field in a safe place outsidethe scan room. Some of theseitems is listed below.•Coins •Hearing aids•Jewelry •Keys•Watches •Hair pins•Glasses •Other metal •Credit cards •objects

You may also be asked toremove make-up and denturesand to wear a hospital gown toavoid magnetic interference from belt buckles and zippers.

Once you are situated on thetable, make sure you are com-fortable so that it is easy to remain still for the duration of the examination. Breathe nor-mally. Once the examination hasbegun, you will hear a knockingsound that represents changes in the magnetic field. This is anormal part of the imagingprocess. At the conclusion of theexam, the technologist will assistyou out of the scan room.

N

•Implanted drug infusion device•Foreign metal objects in the eye•Shrapnel or bullet wounds•Permanent eyeliner

If you are pregnant, please notifyyour physician.

As mentioned previously, youwill be asked to leave items thatare incompatible with the magneticfield outside of the scan room.Other items that may be incom-patible are implants and similaritems. Check with your physicianor MRI technologist if you havehad any brain, ear, or eye surgeriesor have any of the following:•Pacemaker•Neurostimulator (TENS unit)•Metal implants•Intrauterine device (IUD), etc.•Aneurysm clips•Surgical staples

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 2

How Does MRI Help Me and MyMedical Team?

agnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one form of imaging

modality used by physicians toobtain clinically useful diagnosticinformation. Incorporating advancedtechnology, MRI produces imagesof anatomy without the use ofradiation required with otherimaging modalities, such as x-ray.

MRI combines the physicalproperties of strong magneticfields with radio waves to pro-duce computer-generated softtissue images within any plane of the body. This popular imagingtechnique can be used as a pri-mary diagnostic tool to provide aquick and accurate diagnosis foryour physician. In some situations,this procedure can reduce the needfor further diagnostic proceduresor invasive procedures, such as

exploratory surgery, that mayhave associated complications.

MRI is a noninvasive proce-dure with no known side or after effects. The procedure ispainless; in fact, you won’t see orfeel anything. A knocking soundwill be heard from the machine,which is simply the imagingprocess in operation.

The benefits of magnetic reso-nance imaging are many, andnew applications are beingcontinually developed throughongoing research. The procedureis used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinicalevaluation of the following conditions:

•Brain disorders•Traumatic injuries•Eye abnormalities•Spine diseases•Tumor detection•Liver and other

abdominal diseases•Knee and shoulder injuries•Musculoskeletal disorders•Facial/Neck abnormalities•Infection•Cardiac malformations•Blood flow and vessel

disorders

How Does MRI Operate?

RI images are formed whensignals emitted by body

tissue are processed by softwareand turned into clinical images.These signals are generatedusing a safe magnetic field incombination with radio waves of a specific frequency. Differenttissue characteristics are trans-lated into different contrastlevels on the image.

A typical procedure averages30 minutes or longer, dependingon the type of informationrequired by your physician. Youcan help to make your images asclean as possible by relaxing andremaining still during the exam.Some patients even fall asleepduring the MRI exam.

M

M

What Do I Have To Do To Prepare

For The MRI?

o special preparation isrequired prior to the MRI

exam. You may eat normally andgo about your daily routine.Continue to take any medicationprescribed by your doctor unless otherwise directed.

Prior to entering the scanroom for your exam, you will beasked to leave those items thatare not compatible with a mag-netic field in a safe place outsidethe scan room. Some of theseitems is listed below.•Coins •Hearing aids•Jewelry •Keys•Watches •Hair pins•Glasses •Other metal •Credit cards •objects

You may also be asked toremove make-up and denturesand to wear a hospital gown toavoid magnetic interference from belt buckles and zippers.

Once you are situated on thetable, make sure you are com-fortable so that it is easy to remain still for the duration of the examination. Breathe nor-mally. Once the examination hasbegun, you will hear a knockingsound that represents changes in the magnetic field. This is anormal part of the imagingprocess. At the conclusion of theexam, the technologist will assistyou out of the scan room.

N

•Implanted drug infusion device•Foreign metal objects in the eye•Shrapnel or bullet wounds•Permanent eyeliner

If you are pregnant, please notifyyour physician.

As mentioned previously, youwill be asked to leave items thatare incompatible with the magneticfield outside of the scan room.Other items that may be incom-patible are implants and similaritems. Check with your physicianor MRI technologist if you havehad any brain, ear, or eye surgeriesor have any of the following:•Pacemaker•Neurostimulator (TENS unit)•Metal implants•Intrauterine device (IUD), etc.•Aneurysm clips•Surgical staples

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 2

How Does MRI Help Me and MyMedical Team?

agnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one form of imaging

modality used by physicians toobtain clinically useful diagnosticinformation. Incorporating advancedtechnology, MRI produces imagesof anatomy without the use ofradiation required with otherimaging modalities, such as x-ray.

MRI combines the physicalproperties of strong magneticfields with radio waves to pro-duce computer-generated softtissue images within any plane of the body. This popular imagingtechnique can be used as a pri-mary diagnostic tool to provide aquick and accurate diagnosis foryour physician. In some situations,this procedure can reduce the needfor further diagnostic proceduresor invasive procedures, such as

exploratory surgery, that mayhave associated complications.

MRI is a noninvasive proce-dure with no known side or after effects. The procedure ispainless; in fact, you won’t see orfeel anything. A knocking soundwill be heard from the machine,which is simply the imagingprocess in operation.

The benefits of magnetic reso-nance imaging are many, andnew applications are beingcontinually developed throughongoing research. The procedureis used for all parts of the body and is effective in the clinicalevaluation of the following conditions:

•Brain disorders•Traumatic injuries•Eye abnormalities•Spine diseases•Tumor detection•Liver and other

abdominal diseases•Knee and shoulder injuries•Musculoskeletal disorders•Facial/Neck abnormalities•Infection•Cardiac malformations•Blood flow and vessel

disorders

How Does MRI Operate?

RI images are formed whensignals emitted by body

tissue are processed by softwareand turned into clinical images.These signals are generatedusing a safe magnetic field incombination with radio waves of a specific frequency. Differenttissue characteristics are trans-lated into different contrastlevels on the image.

A typical procedure averages30 minutes or longer, dependingon the type of informationrequired by your physician. Youcan help to make your images asclean as possible by relaxing andremaining still during the exam.Some patients even fall asleepduring the MRI exam.

M

M

What Do I Have To Do To Prepare

For The MRI?

o special preparation isrequired prior to the MRI

exam. You may eat normally andgo about your daily routine.Continue to take any medicationprescribed by your doctor unless otherwise directed.

Prior to entering the scanroom for your exam, you will beasked to leave those items thatare not compatible with a mag-netic field in a safe place outsidethe scan room. Some of theseitems is listed below.•Coins •Hearing aids•Jewelry •Keys•Watches •Hair pins•Glasses •Other metal •Credit cards •objects

You may also be asked toremove make-up and denturesand to wear a hospital gown toavoid magnetic interference from belt buckles and zippers.

Once you are situated on thetable, make sure you are com-fortable so that it is easy to remain still for the duration of the examination. Breathe nor-mally. Once the examination hasbegun, you will hear a knockingsound that represents changes in the magnetic field. This is anormal part of the imagingprocess. At the conclusion of theexam, the technologist will assistyou out of the scan room.

N

•Implanted drug infusion device•Foreign metal objects in the eye•Shrapnel or bullet wounds•Permanent eyeliner

If you are pregnant, please notifyyour physician.

As mentioned previously, youwill be asked to leave items thatare incompatible with the magneticfield outside of the scan room.Other items that may be incom-patible are implants and similaritems. Check with your physicianor MRI technologist if you havehad any brain, ear, or eye surgeriesor have any of the following:•Pacemaker•Neurostimulator (TENS unit)•Metal implants•Intrauterine device (IUD), etc.•Aneurysm clips•Surgical staples

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 2

Drawing upon the wide experiencein magent, gradient and RF tech-nology that has made Hitachi therecognized design innovator inpatient- friendly MRI, Echelondelivers high-field clinical utilityfor today’s advanced imaging envi-ronment. Echelon is backed by HitachiMedical Corporation, a recognizedleader in imaging technology.

Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. MKT-15DB1006-12006 ©All rights reserved 0406/30000/9660 Printed in U.S.A.

Whatis

MRI?(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

During your MRI examination,a technologist will be with youand will be able to see you at alltimes. For your convenience, anintercom system is built into theMR imager so that if you needanything, the technologist willbe right there.

In certain instances, a contrastagent may be administered toenhance the study. There are noextra precautions if your physi-cian requires this type of study.Consult the physician or technol-ogist if you have any questions.

1. The magnetic fieldis used to alignhydrogen protons in the body.

2. Radio frequency wavesare absorbed by theprotons and thenemitted as a signal.

3. A radio frequency coilpicks up the signaland transmits it tothe computer.

4. The computerprocesses the dataand an image is generated.

MRI in Action What Else Do I Need To Know?

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 1

Drawing upon the wide experiencein magent, gradient and RF tech-nology that has made Hitachi therecognized design innovator inpatient- friendly MRI, Echelondelivers high-field clinical utilityfor today’s advanced imaging envi-ronment. Echelon is backed by HitachiMedical Corporation, a recognizedleader in imaging technology.

Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. MKT-15DB1006-12006 ©All rights reserved 0406/30000/9660 Printed in U.S.A.

Whatis

MRI?(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

During your MRI examination,a technologist will be with youand will be able to see you at alltimes. For your convenience, anintercom system is built into theMR imager so that if you needanything, the technologist willbe right there.

In certain instances, a contrastagent may be administered toenhance the study. There are noextra precautions if your physi-cian requires this type of study.Consult the physician or technol-ogist if you have any questions.

1. The magnetic fieldis used to alignhydrogen protons in the body.

2. Radio frequency wavesare absorbed by theprotons and thenemitted as a signal.

3. A radio frequency coilpicks up the signaland transmits it tothe computer.

4. The computerprocesses the dataand an image is generated.

MRI in Action What Else Do I Need To Know?

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 1

Drawing upon the wide experiencein magent, gradient and RF tech-nology that has made Hitachi therecognized design innovator inpatient- friendly MRI, Echelondelivers high-field clinical utilityfor today’s advanced imaging envi-ronment. Echelon is backed by HitachiMedical Corporation, a recognizedleader in imaging technology.

Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc. MKT-15DB1006-12006 ©All rights reserved 0406/30000/9660 Printed in U.S.A.

Whatis

MRI?(Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

During your MRI examination,a technologist will be with youand will be able to see you at alltimes. For your convenience, anintercom system is built into theMR imager so that if you needanything, the technologist willbe right there.

In certain instances, a contrastagent may be administered toenhance the study. There are noextra precautions if your physi-cian requires this type of study.Consult the physician or technol-ogist if you have any questions.

1. The magnetic fieldis used to alignhydrogen protons in the body.

2. Radio frequency wavesare absorbed by theprotons and thenemitted as a signal.

3. A radio frequency coilpicks up the signaland transmits it tothe computer.

4. The computerprocesses the dataand an image is generated.

MRI in Action What Else Do I Need To Know?

What is? Echelon 3/2/07 10:46 AM Page 1