COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL AND COLUMBIA DOCTORS

CUMC Neurological Institute Outpatient MRIs

Location: New York, NY
Size: 16,000 square feet
Project: New Facility

In order to accommodate increasing need for MRI imaging at their 168th Street campus, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, and Columbia Doctors hired Jeffrey Berman Architect to perform feasibility and siting studies to determine viable options and budgets for the development of a multi-MRI outpatient imaging site for the new joint venture to be run on campus. Various sites were examined with programs ranging from 4-7 MRI systems in NYPH buildings as well as the ultimately selected site, the Neurological Institute.

The Neurological Institute housed two clinical MRIs and one research MRI. The imaging equipment had reached the end of its useful life and needed to be replaced. Jeffrey Berman Architect prepared a study showing that seven MRIs could be installed in the basement of the Neurological institute and that the project could be phased so that there would be two functioning MRIs during construction of the first four new MRIs. In a second phase,

the existing MRIs would be replaced with three new magnets. The phasing first supported two magnets, then expanded to four new magnets, and finally completed the site at seven magnets - one at 1.5 Tesla, five at 3.0 Tesla, and one at 7.0 Tesla.

The facility was organized into three discreet working suites, two clinical and one specifically designed to support ongoing research projects including animal imaging and spectroscopy.

The work included new infrastructure in the building, site and civil work and required detailed coordination and rigorous logistics for delivery of the seven magnets and the maintenance of the magnets during the life of the facility.