- The health center specialized in musculoskeletal pathologies has a robotic x-ray room, a high-definition ultrasound, a multi-slice CT, dual-energy densitometry (DEXA) and two MRIs of 1,5 and 3 Tesla.
- The Ribera IMSKE Radiodiagnosis Service is committed to personalized and super-specialized medicine in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
Hospital IMSKE River has incorporated a new high-end 1,5 Tesla MRI in its Radiology area, which is added to the 3 Tesla MRI that the health center already had. In addition, the hospital now has dual energy densitometry (DEXA), which in addition to bone mineral density, allows for the measurement of body mass index and body fat. In this way, as explained by Dr. Eva Llopis, its head of Radiodiagnosis, “we can offer patients personalized and super-specialized medicine, with the best technology for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.”
The group's health center Ribera in Valencia, specialized in musculoskeletal pathologies, has a robotic x-ray room, a high-definition ultrasound machine and a multi-slice CT scan, in addition to the two MRIs and densitometry mentioned above. Regarding the two resonances that Ribera IMSKE has, the person responsible for the Radiodiagnosis service explains that the difference between the two lies in the size of the magnetic field (1,5 or 3 Tesla, the unit of magnetic field in the System International), which allows the technology to be adapted to the needs of each patient. “The greater the magnetic field, the more complex the sequences are and the more precision it offers. But at the same time, the more sensitive it is to any metal piece or small splinter, as well as to the patient's movement,” she says. That is why, she adds, “one or the other is not better, but it depends on the patient's needs.” For example, she explains, to check a knee or hip prosthesis, the image quality is better in the 1,5 Tesla MRI.
Another addition to the Radiodiagnosis Service of the Ribera IMSKE hospital is dual energy densitometry (DEXA), an equipment that has evolved a lot in recent years. In fact, it emerged as a tool to measure bone mineral density and diagnose and monitor pathologies such as osteoporosis, which decreases bone mass density and is the cause of many fractures in advanced ages. Furthermore, it has been considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the great epidemic of developed countries.
The Ribera IMSKE DEXA densitometry model allows, in addition to measuring bone mineral density, to determine body mass index and fat distribution, both considered risk factors in serious diseases such as obesity or cardiovascular pathologies, while evaluating and controls changes in muscle or lean/fat mass in different areas of the body, associated with physical exercise, rehabilitation or sports training. The information provided by this densitometry is of great practical value for monitoring and optimizing, for example, an athlete's training plan, to achieve maximum performance. It also contributes to a complete evaluation of the patient and helps health professionals to monitor the evolution of the established treatment or therapy, diet and/or exercise with objective and complete information.
