What is a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist ?
It is an exciting time in Nova Scotia for MRI Technologists. The province has recently purchased six state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla General Electric MRI Scanners (2006-2007). New scanners are located in Antigonish, New Glasgow, Kentville, Yarmouth, and two in Halifax at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Science Centre. There are also MRI units in Sydney and three more in Halifax at the IWK Health Centre, Canadian Diagnostic Centre (not public funded), and the 4 Tesla Brain Repair Centre Research Magnetic. These magnets make Nova Scotia one of the leading provinces for scanners per capita in the country. In 1997 there were only 2 Registered MRI technologists in Nova Scotia and now (2007) their ranks number 22.
The unique nature of this technology presents special imaging, patient care, and safety requirements. Introduced as a diagnostic medical imaging tool in the 1980's, magnetic resonance uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body. MRI is used to image most areas of the body - the cardiovascular system, brain, spinal cord, bones, joints, soft tissues, such as muscles and tendons, blood vessels and organs in the chest, abdomen and pelvis. It can also be used to study body chemistry (spectroscopy), and brain and body functions. Information about having an MRI scan in Nova Scotia can be found at the Nova Scotia Department of Health website