Patient Experience as a Driver of MRI Efficiency in Australia

From System Efficiency to the Patient Factor

MRI performance is often discussed in terms of technology, throughput, and infrastructure. However, Australian evidence shows that many inefficiencies originate earlier — at the point where patients interact with the scanner.

Patient experience is not separate from MRI performance. It directly influences motion, scan success, repeat rates, and the extent to which existing MRI systems can deliver usable capacity across both public and private settings. 

Anxiety and Motion in Australian MRI Practice

Australian research has consistently identified anxiety and claustrophobia as major contributors to degraded MRI scan quality.

A study presented at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) scientific meeting found that anxiety and claustrophobia ranked among the strongest negative factors affecting MRI examinations. The same study reported that 71.6% of Australian radiographers identified patient anxiety as a common issue, with a direct impact on diagnostic quality and exam completion¹.

When anxiety leads to motion, the operational consequences are immediate:

• compromised image quality
• repeated sequences or full rescans
• longer scanner time per patient

Each repeat exam consumes capacity without improving access. 

Motion as an Efficiency Issue 

Australian clinical research from Monash Biomedical Imaging estimates that patient motion is present in approximately 30% of MRI examinations, frequently requiring repeat imaging². These effects are often involuntary, linked to discomfort, anxiety, or fatigue rather than patient compliance.

As scan times increase, the likelihood of motion increases — reinforcing a cycle of inefficiency that directly impacts:

• throughput
• operating hours
• staff workload

Reducing motion is therefore not only a clinical objective, but a critical operational lever.

How GE HealthCare Technologies Support Experience and Efficiency 

GE HealthCare technologies address these challenges by reducing dependence on perfect patient stillness.

AIR™ Recon DL applies deep learning reconstruction directly to raw MR data, improving image quality from less acquired data. Local GE HealthCare analysis indicates that traditional MRI exams often require more than 15 minutes to achieve optimal diagnostic quality; AIR™ Recon DL enables shorter acquisitions while preserving — or improving — image clarity³. This reduces the likelihood of motion‑related rescans and increases usable scanner capacity.

Importantly, improved image clarity also supports more efficient reporting workflows. As radiology clinicians have observed, diagnosis becomes significantly easier when high‑quality images are available — particularly in complex cases, highlighting how clearer, lower‑noise imaging reduces interpretation effort and supports faster clinical decision‑making.

When combined, these effects — shorter scans, reduced repeats, and easier interpretation — improve throughput without requiring additional infrastructure or staffing.

It is also available with radial k‑space techniques, further supporting imaging of anatomies affected by motion.

For examinations requiring additional acceleration, Sonic DL enables faster imaging while maintaining diagnostic confidence, allowing consistent outcomes across a broader patient population.

Comfort and Hardware Design

Patient tolerance is also strongly influenced by hardware design.

Australian radiography research indicates that physical discomfort and restrictive positioning increase anxiety, which in turn affects image quality and workflow reliability¹.

GE HealthCare’s AIR™ Coils are lightweight and flexible, conforming more naturally to patient anatomy. This reduces physical discomfort, improves positioning efficiency, and helps patients remain still during scans.

Improved comfort leads to:

• calmer patients
• fewer interrupted scans
• more reliable exam completion

Closing Observation

Australian evidence demonstrates that patient experience is not a secondary consideration — it is a structural driver of MRI efficiency.

By shortening scan times, reducing sensitivity to motion, improving image clarity, and enhancing physical comfort, GE HealthCare technologies help translate patient tolerance into operational stability.

When patient experience improves, inefficiency reduces — and capacity becomes usable. 

Footnotes

1. Footnotes Watt L. Evaluating patient experience in Magnetic Resonance Imaging. RANZCR Scientific Meeting, Perth.

2. Chen Z. et al. Motion Informed Deep Learning for Brain MR Image Reconstruction. Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University.

3. GE HealthCare Australia & New Zealand. Delivering Faster, Clearer MRI Images with Deep Learning Technology.