New MRI unit delivered to Gravette Hospital

Radiology services in Ozarks Community Hospital are expanding.

— Ozarks Community Hospital in Gravette is expanding its radiology services with the arrival of a new MRI unit which was delivered to the hospital site last Friday.

“OCH maintenance staff are working diligently to get the MRI functional and easily accessible to patients,” said Jayna Cardetti, communications coordinator for OCH.

MRI utilizes magnetic resonance to visualize detailed internal structures and its primary function is to view soft-tissue-based images. Unlike traditional x-rays and CT scans, it uses no ionized radiation but, due to the magnetic field, the machine must be enclosed in a building separate from the hospital.

“We look forward to offering this additional, much-needed service to Gravette patients,” said Ronda Kreutzer, OCH of Gravette radiology manager. “Overall we’re very pleased with the unit and it will be fully functional shortly.”

Kreutzer will be the primary MRI technician and services will be available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The MRI is expected to be in full use within the month of March.

News, Pages 1 on 03/09/2011