UBC has the only Upright Open MRI scanner in North America wholly dedicated to research. The Upright Open MRI captures unparalleled images of the human body—including bones, joints, cartilage and organs —during upright and/or weight bearing activity.

 

In contrast to other open MRI scanners, which open horizontally, our scanner is upright and open allowing images to be captured with the body in a range of positions, and/or bearing the weight of the body. This information is critical for a better understanding of body function and cannot be obtained in conventional MRI scanners where participants can only be scanned lying down.

 

What makes the Upright Open MRI unique?

• Stand-up, walk-in design allows people to be scanned in a variety of positions including standing, sitting, squatting, and lying down

• Allows scanning during weight bearing activities (for example, standing and squatting)

• Allows scanning in positions relevant to daily function. This is particularly important for imaging joints that have been injured or damaged by disease. For example, scans in a standing position for knee osteoarthritis could offer new insights into the underlying pathology

• Many other Research Applications to obtain novel views of anatomy