Patients who need testing to determine if there is anything wrong in the body might be ordered to get an MRI. This is an easy way to get a better look at the body in the form of slides. Details can appear on the MRI slides that might not show up on an x-ray or other types of scans. Some patients might not be able to lay inside an ordinary MRI machine. This is when an open MRI is beneficial.
Those who don’t like to be in enclosed spaces will find that this is a better option as it’s not as confining. The sides are open instead of being enclosed, giving more room while the test is being done. It’s a solution for young children who might be afraid of the machine itself as there will likely be enough room for a parent to lay on the bed with the child. Older adults can also have someone with them so that they feel safer. This kind of MRI makes it easier to accommodate IV poles and other equipment that the patient might need to have instead of needing to maneuver it to the side of an ordinary machine. The open design is also beneficial if there need to be images of an area of the body that might not be able to be centered in a traditional machine, such as the ankle or the wrist.