MRI technology now available at local hospital
Lake Chelan Community Hospital (LCCH) has given patients another reason to stay in the valley for healthcare. In the past, patients had to travel to other communities to access Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) services. Now they can receive the services locally.

What is MRI Technology?
MRI technology is an advanced, state-of-the art diagnosis method prescribed by doctors. Using a large, powerful magnet, radio waves and a computer system, it produces finely detailed images of the human body. There are no X-rays involved.

Developed in the 1970s and now a common diagnostic test across the country, the MRI scan provides doctors with important information about internal organs, joints, the brain and spine. It produces clear images that make it easier for doctors to detect diseases or abnormalities.

To bring this technology to Chelan, LCCH has teamed with Allied Imaging, a national provider of diagnostic imaging services. Allied Imaging will regularly bring a complete, full-service portable MRI system to the hospital. A radiological technologist, under the supervision of a radiologist (a doctor who assists in a patient's medical diagnosis by X-rays and scans), performs the MRI services. Most scans take between 30 to 45 minutes.

The local hospital is pleased to offer this new technology and is committed to bringing more services to the valley, says hospital administrator Larry Peterson. "The community's needs are important to us."

To access the hospital's new MRI services, ask your doctor for a referral to the Lake Chelan Community Hospital. For more information, call Sue Young at 682-3300.

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