Overlake Hospital Medical Center can stake claim to another first.

The Bellevue-based hospital recently invested $2.9 million to build and operate two new MRI suites, featuring a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner that is the first of its kind in the Puget Sound area. The MRI suites opened on Jan. 4 and are adjacent to the hospital’s Emergency & Trauma Center.

“Overlake is pleased to be the first medical facility in the region to acquire the latest-generation MRI equipment, which offers greater comfort and safety for our patients and improved imaging for our physicians and other providers,” said Brenda Rinehart, Director of the Medical Imaging Department at Overlake.

Rinehart pointed to the many benefits of the new MRI scanner including the added convenience of having the equipment readily available 24 hours a day for patient care.

The MRI scanner, created by Toshiba, produces a high-quality, non-contrast MR angiography, eliminating the need for patients to be injected with a dye prior to the scan. Physicians often choose MRI scans over computed tomography (CT) scans or X-rays because they avoid patient exposure to radiation and are considered a better way to get high-quality images of organs or soft tissue. According to Rinehart, the MRI is the preferred method for capturing neurological and spinal disc imaging.

In addition, the new MRI scanner performs 3D imaging technology and offers a much larger interior space known as the bore, with a measurement of 71 cm, accommodating patients up to 450 pounds.

“The machine’s bore is so spacious, I can actually sit up inside the scanner. It’s a nice feature that will help ease claustrophobia fears for patients,” Rinehart explained. “It’s also 90 percent quieter than other MRI machines, making it much less intimidating.”

Lindsay Larin can be reached at 425-453-4602.

For more information, log on to www.overlakehospital.org.