Health Sciences University

Matthew Southam

Walk into any radiology department and you’ll often hear the same story: “We couldn’t get the scan, the patient couldn’t tolerate the tunnel.” Despite modern imaging advances, traditional closed-bore MRI remains a deeply intimidating experience for many. Claustrophobia is not a niche concern, with up to 30 percent of patients reporting significant anxiety during a conventional MRI. That anxiety leads to motion artifacts, abandoned scans, repeat appointments, sedation, or even the complete avoidance of medically necessary imaging.

This is where Open MRI scanners add real value, not as replacements for high-field scanners, but as indispensable complements.

To appreciate the importance of upright scanners, we must understand the emotional impact of claustrophobia. The closed MRI tunnel has been described as everything from a “coffin” to a “cubby hole,” and even the most empathetic radiographer cannot fully neutralize the psychological stress of being enclosed for 40 minutes. Studies confirm that conventional MRI often triggers panic, breathlessness and feelings of entrapment.

By contrast, open upright MRI transforms the experience. Patients can lie, sit, or sometimes even stand in an open, airy environment that restores calm and allows them to tolerate the scan. Research shows that open and upright positioning significantly reduces claustrophobic distress, enabling many patients to complete scans without sedation, medication, or psychological trauma. This is not just a comfort upgrade; it is a clinical necessity for those who would otherwise forego MRI altogether.

Another often overlooked limitation of traditional scanners is their requirement for supine or prone positioning. For patients with severe spinal deformities, respiratory compromise, intense pain, or mobility challenges, lying flat is not just uncomfortable; it may be impossible. Upright MRI solves this by allowing imaging while sitting, standing, or in weight-bearing positions, often revealing symptoms in the very postures that provoke them. Patient experience studies show that upright systems markedly improve comfort and scan tolerance compared to closed MRI, giving clinicians a reliable option when supine imaging is not feasible.

"By contrast, open upright MRI transforms the experience. Patients can lie, sit, or sometimes even stand in an open, airy environment that restores calm and allows them to tolerate the scan."

For musculoskeletal specialists, weight-bearing imaging is particularly valuable, as it can uncover pathology invisible in the gravity-neutral supine position. Dynamic conditions such as disc protrusions, knee instability and foraminal stenosis are often best visualized upright. Patients also gain confidence in their scan results when imaging is performed in positions that replicate their symptoms.

It is important to acknowledge that a 0.5T system cannot match the signal-to-noise ratio or resolution of a 1.5T closed-bore scanner. Open magnets disperse the magnetic field, producing a lower signal and requiring longer acquisition times. However, for patients who need upright imaging, the relevant comparison is not between 0.5T and 1.5T; it is between 0.5T and no MRI at all. From this perspective, slightly lower resolution is not a compromise; it is an enabling innovation.

Modern upright MRI systems further mitigate these limitations with advanced multichannel coils, optimized low-field pulse sequences and motion-reduction techniques. Even the simple reduction of anxiety that upright scanners foster leads to fewer motion artifacts and clearer images.

Perhaps the most compelling benefit of the open upright MRI is the increased potential for patient–radiographer interaction. Simply introducing patients to the scanner and maintaining open communication can ease anxiety significantly. Research underscores that enhanced technician interaction improves patient reassurance and reduces stress, translating into fewer incomplete exams, cancellations, or sedations and a smoother workflow for radiology teams. For patients, it can mean the difference between a traumatic ordeal and a tolerable, sometimes even pleasant, experience.

In an era where radiology strives to be more patient-centric, the upright MRI stands out as a technology built around experience and tolerance. A 0.5T open upright MRI will not replace high-field scanners, nor should it. But as a complementary tool, it fills one of the most persistent accessibility gaps in imaging. For claustrophobic individuals, those with pain or mobility issues and patients whose pathology is best seen upright, it is essential that imaging is shaped around the patient rather than shaping the patient to fit the machine.

In many ways, it may be the most empathetic scanner ever built. At Health Sciences University, we are proud to offer open upright MRI scanning to NHS and private patients across the south of England.

Proof in Action

Stephen, previously diagnosed with prostate cancer and also suffering from a knee condition, needed an MRI from both consultants. With his claustrophobia, a traditional scanner was impossible.

Stephen said:

“If anyone else suffers from claustrophobia and is worried about having an MRI scan, I would urge them to please try the open upright scanner. I would recommend it to anyone who suffers from claustrophobia like I do.”