August 26, 2009 - GE Healthcare invited a select group of physicians to its Magnetic Resonance Center yesterday in Waukesha, Wisc., to view the company's first wide bore magnetic resonance imaging, the Optima MR450w, a 1.5 Tesla system, that has a 70-cm bore, yet still provides a 50-cm field of view (FOV).
The system serves the needs of the 1 in 5 U.S. patients who are obese or claustrophobic and require a ‘larger’ imaging system. Additionally, Optima MR450w is clinically optimized for specific anatomies, including industry leading breast imaging capabilities, can accommodate more patients with fewer scans and less coaxing for high patient throughput and satisfaction.
The wider bore, says the company, does not compromise image quality. The wider, 50-cm FOV scans more anatomy and the 70-cm wide bore provides enhanced patient comfort. The larger bore is designed to allow greater flexibility for abdominal and extremity imaging, and also allows for two-station spine imaging enabled by the 50-cm FOV.
The patient table holds up to 550 lbs. and has a detachable design to facilitate patient throughput. The advanced capabilities of GE's Discovery platform have been applied in the Optima MR450w for versatility and power.
Built on a fully redesigned MR platform, the Optima MR450w offers applications and capabilities that improve usability as well as providing the following features:
- Condition-Specific Features: Advanced anatomy-optimized capabilities for imaging breast, spine and cardiovascular regions.
- Redesigned Platform Accelerates Image Quality: An exclusive optical RF system and a new 145-cm long magnet offer uniform tissue contrast and optimized MR signal for clean, crisp images
- Patient-Centered Optimization: Exclusive removable table minimizes time between scans while productivity enhancements dramatically reduce time of MR studies
For more information:
www.gehealthcare.com and MRI at Belfair
July 28, 2026 
