Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has just installed an IMRI iSPACE intra-operative MRI surgical imaging system. We are the fourth pediatric hospital in the world to offer this technology. The goal of the IMRI is to reduce the need of additional operations by giving the surgeons scans before, during or after the surgery.

Our magnet is stored in a "garage". The magnet can be moved into 2 different OR rooms. They share a control room. We have a console for each OR room.

We relied greatly on fundraising efforts, donors, foundations and corporations to fund the IMRI. Also, many of our past and present patients have done their own fundraising for the IMRI.

Combining Radiology and the Operating Room has been a lengthy process. We have visited other IMRI sites to watch how they operate and how they combined these 2 separate departments. We have formed a group that meets bi-weekly. This group established the policies and procedures, IMRI safety, booking guidelines and will train the staff. We expect applications to begin early October.

This is going to be a new experience for us all, and we can't wait.