Open MRI Designed Around Patient Comfort
Hitachi Altaire Open MRI – clinical-grade imaging with a high-field open MRI experience that helps patients feel calmer, comfortable, and more at ease throughout their scan.
Hitachi Altaire — High-Field Open MRI
Our Hitachi Altaire High-Field Open MRI uses magnets positioned above and below the patient while remaining completely open on all sides – no tunnel, no enclosure, no sense of being confined. It is a high-field system, meaning image quality is equivalent to conventional closed-bore MRI scanners, with the added benefit of a design that significantly reduces anxiety and is suitable for patients of all body types and mobility levels.
- No enclosed tunnel — open on all four sides with magnets positioned above and below.
- High-field imaging, delivering clinical-grade diagnostic accuracy equivalent to closed-bore systems.
- Recently upgraded with advanced software for improved image clarity and diagnostic precision.
Spacious, calm, and unhurried – because a better experience produces better results.
A Closer Look at Open MRI
Clear diagnostic imaging with a more comfortable patient experience
What Is an Open MRI?
An MRI uses a powerful magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of your body. No radiation, no X-rays and no injections in most cases. What makes the open MRI different is its design. Rather than sliding into an enclosed tube, you lie on a table between two open magnets with space on all sides. For patients who experience claustrophobia or anxiety, or who have had difficult MRI experiences in the past, this distinction can make all the difference between avoiding a necessary scan and finally getting the answers your physician needs.
Common Uses of This Procedure
MRI produces some of the most detailed soft-tissue images available in diagnostic medicine, making it the preferred tool for evaluating spinal and joint conditions, sports injuries, and neurological concerns. It is widely used to assess the knee, shoulder, hip, elbow, and wrist – detecting even very small tears to ligaments, tendons, and muscles that other imaging methods may miss. If your physician has referred you for an MRI, it is because they need a level of detail that only this technology can reliably provide.
How Does It Work?
Unlike X-ray or CT, MRI does not use ionizing radiation. Instead, it uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to stimulate hydrogen protons naturally present throughout your body. As these protons return to their resting state, they emit signals that are processed by sophisticated computer systems into high-resolution cross-sectional images. A typical MRI exam consists of several imaging sequences, each lasting two to ten minutes, capturing views of the body from multiple planes for the most complete diagnostic picture possible.
Ready to Schedule Your Open MRI?
If you’ve been putting it off, this is the scan that changes that. If advised by our physician, call our team or book online. Same-day appointments available based on scheduling.
