University of Chicago 1 of select few in US using new intraoperative MRI tech to bolster surgical workflows
Doctors in Chicago recently implemented an innovative new intraoperative MRI technique capable of improving outcomes and shortening surgery times.
University of Chicago Medicine is one of only a handful of organizations throughout the U.S. where iMRI has been deployed. The iMRI suite is positioned between two operating rooms at the facility’s Center for Care and Discovery, and is used primarily for complex brain, vascular and spinal surgeries. The technology enables providers to collect functional data on patients in real time, giving them the flexibility to adjust their technique as needed.
Doctors who have used iMRI have shared high praise for the added capabilities it affords them during operations.
“Intraoperative MRI is a critical technology in surgery of the brain and spine to treat complex neurosurgical disease,” Mohamad Bydon, MD, chair of the department of neurological surgery at UChicago Medicine and health system leader for neurological surgery, said of the suite. “We are fortunate to have the most advanced, nation-leading intraoperative MRI. There are many unique features that make it even safer, more efficient and more effective.”
Functional MR imaging has become a go-to tool in the field of neurology. It allows providers to look beyond structure to determine how different treatments affect patients on a more granular level. This opens the door for more precise treatment plans.
In the OR, real-time functional imaging helps providers more ably distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue and gives surgeons an opportunity to adjust their technique if needed; it also reduces the likelihood a patient will need to have additional surgeries down the line. Overall, it makes for safer, quicker surgeries, sometimes shaving up to two hours off of an operation.
UChicago implemented iMRI at the start of 2026. So far, it is one of just 12 organizations in the country to deploy the technology.
“When you come to a place like UChicago Medicine, you are getting the latest leading-edge care, delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of experts,” Bydon said.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.