MRI Scan (1.5T Magnetom Amira)

PRIVAMED's radiology department operates a Siemens Magnetom Amira 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner covering the most requested examinations: brain and head, neck, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, joints, pelvis, and abdominal studies including liver, kidney and MR enterography protocols, plus MR angiography of the vascular system. The department is fully digital — images are stored in PACS and shared over the Czech national medical imaging network, so reports and image data transfer directly to the referring specialist. MRI uses no ionising radiation, making it the modality of choice for soft-tissue, neurological and joint imaging. Czech-insured patients attend with a referral at no cost; self-pay patients can request a quote and appointment through the dedicated MRI booking line, with typically shorter waiting times than large university hospitals in the region.

Magnetic resonance imaging at Nemocnice PRIVAMED runs on a Siemens Magnetom Amira — a modern 1.5 Tesla closed-bore system that is the clinical workhorse field strength for diagnostic MRI, balancing image quality, scan speed and patient comfort. **Examinations performed:** - *Brain and head:* stroke and tumour work-up, headaches, vertigo, multiple sclerosis monitoring, pituitary and inner-ear protocols. - *Spine:* cervical, thoracic and lumbar segments — disc herniation, nerve-root compression, spinal canal stenosis, post-operative assessment. - *Joints:* knee, shoulder, hip, ankle and wrist — meniscal and ligament tears, rotator cuff pathology, cartilage assessment. - *Abdomen and pelvis:* liver, kidneys, pancreas and biliary tree, plus MR enterography for inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease small-bowel assessment). - *MR angiography:* non-invasive vascular imaging of intracranial, carotid and peripheral vessels, in many cases without contrast. **The examination:** Scans take roughly 20–45 minutes depending on the region. The patient lies on the scanner table inside the bore and must remain still; the machine is loud, so hearing protection is provided. Gadolinium-based contrast is administered intravenously where the clinical question requires it. A completed MRI safety questionnaire (informed consent form available on the hospital website) is required — pacemakers and some other metal implants are contraindications that must be declared when booking. **Referral and self-pay:** Czech-insured patients need a žádanka (referral) from their physician, and the examination is then fully covered. Self-pay patients — including international patients and those who want an examination without a referral pathway — should call the MRI booking office (+420 377 182 420, Mon–Fri 7:00–14:00) for a price quote and appointment; payment is in cash at the hospital cashier (Mon–Fri 6:30–14:30). The written radiologist report follows after the scan, and images can be exported on portable media or transferred electronically via the national imaging network. **Why PRIVAMED:** As a mid-sized private hospital, PRIVAMED typically offers shorter MRI waiting times than the region's large university hospital, with the full back-up of an acute-care hospital on site — relevant for contrast examinations and for patients with comorbidities.