The new system can be wheeled in and out of a surgical suite much like a portable X-ray machine. When not in use, it's stored under the operating room table, lifting into position at the press of a button. But best of all, it allows doctors an unprecedented view as they navigate deep within the brain--an advantage that can improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital stays and help avoid complications. The intraoperative MRI is being installed during the spring and is expected to be functional by this summer, making UCI the only medical center south of Los Angeles to have such technology. "This state-of-the-art navigational system has made surgery an option for some brain tumor patients who were previously considered too high risk to operate," says Linskey. "As it enters the mainstream, intraoperative MRI will have a major impact on the way brain surgery is performed worldwide."

This article is reposted with thanks to the University of California, Irvine Medical Center.


To see the original article, go to their website:
http://www.ucihealth.com/News/UCI%20Health/06SprBrain.htm

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