November 8, 2021 – San Diego, Calif. – Rady Children’s Hospital–San Diego, a leading provider of pediatric health care and San Diego’s only designated pediatric trauma center, today announced the opening of The Dickinson Image-Guided Intervention Center, the nation’s first state-of-the-art comprehensive pediatric intervention center.

The image-guided intervention center is the first of its kind to house cutting-edge, specialized MRI imaging technology that delivers unprecedented real-time, high-quality imaging results with no harmful radiation. Designed specifically for children, the Dickinson Image-Guided Intervention Center will primarily benefit those with cardiac disease, while also improving outcomes for non-cardiac disease patients, such as those with lung, airway, and brain conditions.

“At Rady Children’s, our mission has always been to provide the best possible care for children who come through our doors, and that includes employing the latest, most innovative technology,” said Patrick Frias, MD, president and CEO of Rady Children’s. “This new technology, featuring the 3D real-time MRI created by Siemens AG, offers minimal to no radiation exposure with less anesthesia. Having spent two decades as a pediatric cardiologist, I’ve seen first-hand the impact of technological advances on patient outcomes. Real-time, high quality imaging with minimal to no radiation will lead to better, faster diagnoses and more successful procedures.”

Critical for patients who undergo repeat MRIs due to their condition, the Siemens AG 3D real-time MRI technology produces zero radiation, minimizing overall radiation exposure. It provides clearer pictures, which can lead to fewer invasive surgeries and procedures for children, less strain on their small bodies, and greater peace of mind for them and their families. The speed and imaging quality of the technology are poised to improve the catheterization procedures and redefine diagnostic and interventional procedures such as stent placement and valve repair. In addition, faster, better cardiac MRI also offer the prospect of sedation-free studies without anesthesia, and enable new procedures in other specialties, such as otolaryngology and neurosurgery.

Kris Dickinson, executive director of the Donald C. and Elizabeth M. Dickinson Foundation, said, “For us and our family, knowing the Image-Guided Intervention Center will make diagnosis and treatment more accurate and less difficult for young patients and their families is incredibly meaningful. We are thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking center.”

For more information on The Dickinson Image-Guided Intervention Center, please visit: www.rchsd.org/dickinson

About Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego

Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego is a 505-bed pediatric care facility providing the largest source of comprehensive pediatric medical services in San Diego, southern Riverside and Imperial counties. Rady Children’s is the only health system in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare and is the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. In June 2020, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rady Children’s among the best children’s hospitals in the nation in all ten pediatric specialties the magazine surveyed. Rady Children’s is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations to support its mission. For more information, visit www.rchsd.org and find us on Facebook, Twitter and Vimeo.