John Paul Finn MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Gerhard Laub MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

John W. Grinstead, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kyle Kaczynski PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sergio Godinez, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

John Child MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

As MRI has evolved and its applications have expanded to new areas, such as cardiovascular imaging, the level of specialization required of the scan operator has grown accordingly. Many MRI centers have insufficient trained technologists to meet these growing needs, and the deficiency is becoming more acute. This study addresses the feasibility of remote control scanning, whereby a specialized technologist or physician can perform cardiovascular MRI studies on a remote machine.

password-protected secure intranet connectivity was established between a central control computer and five MRI machines (four 1.5T and one 3.0T), all within a six mile radius and all within the UCLA healthcare system. Custom-configured VNC software enabled cloning of the MRI scanner console, such that the remote operator and the local technologist (at the machine) had simultaneous and equal access to the scanning interface. The local technologist was responsible for patient preparation, monitoring, verbal commands and intravenous contrast administration, with guidance from the remote operator. The remote operator was responsible for all aspects of protocol selection, sequence parameter changes, FOV, slice positioning and orientation.

seventeen consecutive patients were scanned successfully, including 10 children (M/F=6/4, mean age 2.7 yrs) with complex congenital heart disease and 7 adults (mean age 47 yrs) with suspected aortic dissection (4), myocardial infarction (2) and mesenteric ischemia (1). Mean scan time was 46.7 minutes in children (range 20-55) and 49.3 minutes in adults (range 20-68). Contrast enhanced MRA was performed in all patients and this was supplemented by SSFP cine in all cardiac patients. There were no complications of any kind, and image quality was indistinguishable from that in studies performed locally by the same specialist operators.

MRI scanning by remote control is entirely feasible and has been successfully implemented for highly complex procedures. The implications are profound as they relate to support of local clinical work and ultimately of regional and global research and training initiatives.

G.L.,J.W.G.,K.K.: employees of Siemens Medical SolutionsJ.P.F.: John Finn is a consultant to Siemens Medical Solutions

Finn, J, Laub, G, Grinstead, J, Kaczynski, K, Godinez, S, Child, J, MRI Scanning by Remote Control.  Radiological Society of North America 2005 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27 - December 2, 2005 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2005/4419688.html