Left to right: Tom Shields, CEO Shields Health; Dr. Christopher Filippi, Radiologist-in-Chief, Tufts Medical Center; Mike Foley, Executive Director of Radiology, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Tufts Medical Center; Dr. Michael Tarnoff, CEO, Tufts Medical Center; Diana Richardson, President, Tufts Medical Center; Peter Ferrari, President, Shields Health; Dianne Tripp, VP of Imaging, Shields Health; John Antaya, Chief Marketing Officer, Shields Health
December 15, 2022 — Shields Health, New England’s largest network of independent imaging centers, and Tufts Medical Center (“Tufts”), celebrated their new 3T open-bore MRI technology from Philips with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This MRI boasts high-field 3T technology and artificial intelligence, a wide, open-bore setting, and in-bore entertainment, making it the first machine within the Shields network to offer all of these new features. Tufts is also the first hospital in the United States to integrate Philips’ cutting-edge machine designed for superior patient comfort and image quality.
“We’re excited to offer this new technology at Tufts Medical Center to create a more tranquil and calming environment of MRI scans,” said Tom Shields, CEO of Shields Health. “This state-of-the-art imaging machine is the latest innovation designed to provide enhanced comfort, quality, and efficiency to our patients and we are proud to partner with Tufts to bring this advancement to the community.”
The first open-bore imaging option at Tufts, this new 3T MRI from Philips has a wider, 70-centimeter opening to offer maximum headroom for patients. This design offers increased comfort and relief for those who experience claustrophobia, anxiety, or fear before scans. In addition, this MRI system is the first at Tufts and within the Shields network to offer in-bore entertainment with immersive video, further enhancing the patient experience through a relaxing diversion.
Through the use of artificial intelligence, the machine boasts a shortened scan time of up to 50 percent and physicians will consistently see improved image clarity scans with reduced noise.
“We are proud to be the only Boston-area hospital to offer an MRI with this exceptional level of comfort and performance,” said Diana Richardson, President of Tufts Medical Center. “The new MRI provides a more relaxing experience for our patients through both shorter procedure times and a significantly improved test environment. At the same time, the far superior image quality and enhanced artificial intelligence result in faster and better diagnostic images for our radiologists and referring physicians. This MRI is the latest example of how we are delivering on our mission to provide high-quality, innovative patient care.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony at Tufts Medical Center attended by leaders from Shields Health and Tufts Medicine including physicians and medical staff throughout Tufts Medical Center.
For more information: https://go.shields.com/tufts-ambient-3t/
March 13, 2026 
