Community Hospital's 8-ton MRI removed to make way for updated device

Crews had their work cut out for them when it came time to remove Community Hospital’s MRI machine last week to make way for a new one.

Community Hospital

McCOOK, Neb. -- Community Hospital’s 11-year-old, eight-ton MRI machine was recently removed to make way for a new, more technologically advanced model.

The old, 16,000-pound machine was removed from the building last week by Sampson Construction with help from Community Hospital maintenance staff.

The new, Siemens MRI machine, which is scheduled for installation on March 16, has the following advantages:

-- Larger Bore (70 cm compared to 60 cm)

-- About 60% Quieter

-- 50-60% Faster

A crane was brought in to haul the 16,000-pound device away to a new home in another U.S. or foreign hospital.

Community Hospital

Also purchased with the new machine is a Siemens in-bore Infotainment package which includes audio and video for a more comfortable exam.

Following tech applications training, patients will be able to use the new machine in early to mid-April. In the meantime, a mobile MRI service is available onsite for the next seven weeks.

The former machine was installed in 2009. Darin Carfield, Director of Radiology, said the technology on the old machine is still current enough to be put to use in a smaller hospital either here in the United States or in a third-world country.