One of the challenges ETS-Lindgren discovered was the sturdy rail installation that ran the length of the room allowing the 1.5 Tesla magnet to move between the magnet docking space and the OR area. As a part of the room, these rails required shielding, and contributed to the challenges ETS-Lindgren faced in shielding the enclosure.

Another challenge was the sheer volume of wires needed to facilitate the mobile magnet's movement between positions. Any wire that passes through a pipe or RF shield must be grounded, and the sheer volume of the wires involved in this application was considerable. Since the magnet travels through the suite, the wires must be long enough to follow it--and this process leads the wires through a shielded environment. Therefore, it was necessary to shield the wires
for this process, which is much more involved than shielding those in a stationary magnet application.

The presence of an electrical room directly beneath this new construction also presented a challenge. To insulate the MRI/OR suite against the considerable vibrations and interference caused by this room, ETS-Lindgren installed large filter panels that cover the suite's walls. This effectively dampens the vibrations and interference, allowing the MRI equipment to take accurate and dependable readings every time.

To complete the shielding and make it accurate for testing, ETS-Lindgren placed a number of integral components in the intra-operative MRI/OR suite. They included acoustic elements inside the walls and doors of the room, an optimized floor, and RF windows to create a more pleasant atmosphere and further enhance the patient experience. Additionally, two Auto-Seal II doors were installed in the room, and ETS-Lindgren interfaced these doors with an existing door separating the magnet docking room and the OR suite.

Finally, ETS-Lindgren installed a copper lining surrounding the entire operating room. This inventive use of technology is a breakthrough not only for medical professionals, but for patients and their families. The intraoperative MRI/OR suite will provide numerous benefits for young patients undergoing brain, heart, and cancer treatments. In addition to the increased convenience and comfort of same-site MRI and OR capabilities, the new suite will enable safer and more accurate surgical procedures by providing real-time results and eliminating the need for future follow-up surgeries.

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