Cape Fear Valley Health Facility
This is the first permanent MRI machine for Bladen Hospital, which was previously serviced with a mobile MRI machine on a limited basis. MRIs are used for a variety of medical imaging exams to create detailed images of the organs, tissues and bones in a person’s body.
“Before, we had a mobile MRI truck that came twice a week,” said Bladen Healthcare President Spencer Cummings. “But our current demand exceeds that availability. With this new facility, patients won’t have to wait as long or travel to get an MRI right here in Elizabethtown.”
The new MRI facility is located behind the hospital, in the site of the former Phillips Internal Medicine Practice, which Cape Fear Valley purchased in 2023.
The MRI machine is a Siemens Magnetom Altea capable of holding patients up to 550 lbs. It uses a 1.5 Tesla (T) magnet and a 70 cm open bore design.
“This MRI machine’s new technology also means that a patient’s MRI scan can be completed faster,” Cummings said. “We’re so excited to bring this to the community and expand this service.”