Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, flagship of Miami Children’s Health System, has acquired an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) system (the IMRIS Surgical Theatre) to support its renowned Brain Institute. The hospital is the first pediatric facility in Florida to acquire this leading-edge equipment, which brings MRI technology – recognized as the "gold standard" in differentiating between healthy and abnormal brain tissue – directly into the surgical suite to enhance safety and ensure complete removal of tumors and preservation of healthy tissue.
The new iMRI system is attached to a ceiling-mounted track system that brings the MRI directly to the child in the surgical suite, as needed. The high-resolution magnetic resonance images provide surgeons with a view of the affected area in real-time to determine if the targeted area is thoroughly treated or if surgical plans need to be adjusted before procedure completion. When not in use, the iMRI is housed in a separate imaging suite, where it can be used for MRI procedures for hospital inpatients requiring anesthesia monitoring. The iMRI is integrated with the hospital’s Brainlab Cranial neuro-navigation application in the operating suite. This technology provides surgeons with "GPS-like guidance" within the brain.
The iMRI is housed in a new state-of-the-art surgical suite within the hospital’s Advanced Pediatric Care Pavilion, a new six-story critical care tower on the Nicklaus Children’s campus.
