About Us

Decatur Open MRI / Auburn Open MRI / Fort Wayne Open MRI are all part of The Community Open MRI Group. We are a private company with no hospital or physician ownership affiliation. We are here to meet the needs of all patients in our communities. We offer patients an excellent alternative to the closed-in tight fit of the conventional tube-type MRI systems.

Decatur Open MRI is a warm and hospitable outpatient facility. Our diagnostic clinic offers same day appointments and same day reports in most cases. We are currently accepting all insurance as in-network and offer very low cash rates for those with no health coverage. We provide open and comfortable MRI's or MRA's for any standard type of exam while delivering exceptional diagnostic images. If you need a copy of films to take with you please let us know so we can make you a copy before you leave. Our commitment to patient comfort, service and quality is exemplified in everything we do! For more information view our Services page.

Quality

The Community Open MRI Group prides itself on providing first class service along with top notch quality. We have been re-accredited under the most recently revised ACR (American College of Radiology) standards. The most recently revised ACR accreditation process adheres to the highest standards with respect to IMAGE QUALITY. Our Open MRI system today meets every aspect in producing the diagnostic images needed to address all quality standards thereby providing the radiologists with the information to accurately diagnose the study. Furthermore, we are taking quality to the next level on the professional side. Unique to this region, our three imaging facilities utilize Sub-Specialty Radiologists for all interpretations. From a practical standpoint, this means that your physician will receive a report by a radiologist who has a sub-specialty in the specific area of the body being tested. The Summit Radiology Group in Fort Wayne and Meridian Regional Imaging in Chicago are reporting exceptional image quality as a result of our submittals. We are constantly updating our technology to continually deliver cutting-edge quality. It is this commitment to quality that sets us apart from other open MRI competitors.

Comfort

The open configuration of our MRI offers you comfort rather than being confined in a "tube". An open MRI is ideal for everyone, especially for larger and claustrophobic patients. Our open magnet configuration has two asymmetrical posts located in the back of the machine, meaning there are no sides to confine the patient. This allows patients more space to relax and position themselves in order to most comfortably undergo the procedure. It is critical that the patient remain extremely still throughout the entire exam. MRI is very sensitive to motion. If too much movement occurs, the images may be too grainy or distorted and the entire sequence may have to be rerun. Therefore, we specialize in making the patient as comfortable as possible. We also provide pillows and blankets to prop and comfort where we are able. The open magnet is also equipped with a patented soft sound gradient feature which allows the patient to be scanned without a loud banging noise. This is an extremely attractive feature for comfort in terms of reducing the patient's anxiety levels. In addition, the patient can listen to calming music in the background and even bring along their favorite CD. Lastly, the scanner room has a large window to the outside that is designed to draw extra light into the room. This adds an extra psychological effect for an even more open feeling. Our open MRI is also very attractive for scanning young children. To avoid extra risks, the child would not have to be completely sedated. The parent can be right by their side and even hold their hand throughout the procedure. In a worse case scenario, if the child cannot remain still the exam would not be completed and there would be no charge.

About the MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, is an exam that scans the body on all three planes (or dimensions), providing superior diagnostic images using a strong magnetic field, radio waves and a computer.

Unlike X-Ray, mammogram or CT scanning, MRI does not use any harmful ionizing radiation. Instead it utilizes a strong magnetic field and radio waves aided by a computer to produce detailed images of the body.

MRI Scans: The MRI scan will be performed on specific parts of the body, i.e. shoulder, knee, hip, etc. Typically a doctor will order one scan or one exam for the purpose of properly diagnosing an ailment. The doctor may be looking to confirm suspected problems with the patient to find things like tumors, ligament tears, nerve damage, and stress fractures in bones to name a few. It is not uncommon for a doctor to order multiple scans if a patient is having problems in other areas of the body. For example, if a doctor needs to check the entire spine then an order would be submitted for three separate scans, one on the cervical, one on the thoracic, and one on the lumbar region.

MRA Scans: We also provide MRA's, which is a scan used commonly with MRI's on the angiography of the brain. MRA's reveal the vascular system of the brain with extraordinary clarity. Doctors may order MRA's when patients are having problems such as headaches, dizziness, or visual disturbances.

The Open configuration of our MRI means that you will not be surrounded in a tube, but will be lying on a table, with the sides, front and back open. This configuration is more comforting to all patients, especially larger, claustrophobic and anxious patients. Many times a patient may not be considered claustrophobic, but will have some serious confinement issues with the restricting "tube type".

Comparison of Open vs. Closed

How Should I Prepare?

• Eat or drink anything you normally would, including prescribed medications.
• Wear clothes without metal zippers, hooks, etc. We will be happy to provide exam clothing if needed.
• You will be asked to leave coins, keys, jewelry, hearing aids, hairpins, wallet, credit cards, watches and dentures in your patient locker or with a friend.
• Because a magnetic field is involved, you will be pre-screened for any of the following that may apply: pregnancy, metal implants, pacemaker, dentures, surgical staples, cochlear implants, artificial heart valves, aneurysm clips, etc.

The whole procedure takes around 30-90 minutes, depending on the exam. In some cases a contrast agent may be injected if required by the study.