Our Philips 3T QUANTITATIVE MRI is at the forefront of clinical excellence. It has the highest field and gradient strength of any MRI in clinical practice, what this means for you:
You receive the highest quality images with the greatest diagnostic confidence in the least amount of time. Incomparable image quality with digital clarity and speed. We pride ourselves on our state of the art MRI that always ensures we provide the most accurate diagnosis.
MRI Services:
- MRI Brain
- MRI Neck and Spine
- MRI Abdomen & Pelvis + MRCP
- MRI Rectum & Enterography
- MRI Whole Body Composition
- MRI Breast – New
- MRI Ovaries / Endometriosis
- MRI Prostate
- MRI Limbs & Joints – Musculoskeletal
- MRI Whole Body Screening
What is a 3T MRI?
An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is the most sophisticated imaging technology in modern radiology. The Mermaid Beach Radiology clinic has an internationally recognised MRI team that specialise in clinical diagnosis, research and education.
An MRI scan uses a strong magnetic field to form superbly detailed views of parts of the body. It is most commonly used to look at soft tissue such as the brain, spinal cord, muscles and joints.
Unlike other imaging tests such as an X-Ray or CT, MRI does not use radiation. For this reason, MRI is of particular use in the evaluation of paediatric patients, whose organs are more radiosensitive than adults.
MRI is a painless procedure and can take from 15 to 90 minutes to perform depending on the examination requested by your doctor.
What can a 3T MRI find?
With its high-quality technology, MRI scans are able to diagnose diseases or injuries that are not visible in CT or other hospital services.
When considering patient information and history, a doctor may consider MRI referral essential. This is because MRI scans often detect life-threatening issues. Don’t worry, this is often not the case! However, it is important to rule out particular illnesses that may be causing symptoms.
Before a 3T MRI?
Most MRI examinations require no preparation. You can eat and drink normally before and after the scan. It is important to bring any previous films with you to your appointment. You will be asked to change into a gown and remove all metal objects before your examination. If you experience symptoms of claustrophobia or are unable to lie flat comfortably, then it is advisable to contact us prior to your appointment so we can make arrangements to ensure your comfort. Your doctor may prescribe an oral sedative medication for you to take prior to your MRI appointment in such cases.
If you are having an MRI of the abdomen, you will need to fast for four (4) hours prior to the examination.
If you are having an MRI of your head, you must not wear any makeup.
Some MRI examinations require an injection of a special intravenous contrast or dye called Gadolinium. This can provide additional detail on the MRI pictures and is usually injected into a small vein in the elbow or the back of the hand. As with all medications, a very small number of patients may be allergic to the contrast injection. If you have kidney disease, you may not be able to have the contrast injection. Our MRI team will discuss this with you.
After a 3T MRI?
After the scan, you can resume normal activities immediately. If you have had a sedative, a friend or relative will need to take you home and you should follow your post-sedation advice provided by your doctor.
What happens during my MRI scan?
For the MRI scan, you will lie on the motorised bed inside the scanner, either feet or head first, depending on what part of your body is being scanned. Sometimes a frame is placed over the part of your body being scanned, like your chest or head.
Once you are on the bed, the radiographer will operate the scanner from a computer in a separate room. An intercom is available, allowing you to speak to the radiographer, and they can see you through a monitor in the scanner.
As the machine starts, you will remain still to ensure the images are not blurred. A single scan can take between three and four minutes, during which you might be asked to hold your breath. Depending on the area being scanned and the number of images taken, the scan can last between 15 and 120 minutes. The MRI scanner does make loud tapping noises during the procedure. You will be offered headphones or earplugs to wear, and you will have the opportunity to listen to your own music if you wish. You are also able to watch your favourite show or movie on Netflix for the ultimate in-bore experience.
Are there any risks associated with an MRI scan?
There are no known risks associated with an MRI scan. It is considered safer than other medical scanners as no radiation is used. You might experience a reaction to the contrast dye used, where you could experience nausea or headaches. You should speak to your doctor of you experience any side effects.
Meet our experienced team of radiologists on the Gold Coast
Our Radiologist
Dr Zane Sherif
MBBS, FRANZCR
Mermaid Beach Radiology was founded in 2021 with the mission to provide personalised imaging for every client. The “cookie cutter” approach to imaging that exists at present makes little change between clients with different physiology and body types; and far too often the results are too ordinary. The experience of radiology high radiation dose, high noise and often not able to answer the clinical question.
Our MRI & Clinical Research Director
Ben Kennedy
MRI & Clinical Research Director
Ben Kennedy is currently the MRI Clinical and Research Director at Mermaid Beach Radiology. He has a master's degree in MRI from the University of Queensland and his specialties are sequence development and translation of research applications into clinical mainstream imaging. Ben has been an invited speaker at ISMRM, SMRT and ESMRB covering such topics as pulse sequence optimization, MRI physics and specialized clinical applications. Along with his current responsibilities at Mermaid Beach Radiology, Ben is also an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research.
Our Chief Radiographer & SPECTRAL Scientist
Alex Ryvachuk
Chief Radiographer & SPECTRAL Scientist
Alex holds Bachelors Degrees in Biomedical Science and Radiography from Griffith and QUT, retrospectively. He has worked both publicly and privately spanning 16 years in Medical Imaging.He is both MRI and CT trained and experienced in all things SPECTRAL. He comes from a background of training and educating radiographers in advanced imaging techniques and is always happy to take the time to explain things to those not experienced in the medical field.
Alex is a caring and jovial person who enjoys being a dad, a friend and a team member. He loves travelling the world and waking up early to see his football team lose.
Our Head Sonographer
Bryce Allen
Head Sonographer
Bryce is head sonographer of Mermaid Beach Radiology. He enjoys sucking at golf, performing dodgy renovations at home, and having a hack on his twinnie surfboard. Originating from Coffs Harbour, he, his wife and fur child have lived on the GC now for 10 years. He has worked with specialists in pain management, regenerative procedures, and early detection cancer biopsies, but his passion is for musculoskeletal ultrasound, in particular neurovascular pathology and sports injuries. MRI has always been gold standard for MSK, and it is his hope to advance ultrasound to match it.
Book an MRI scan at our Gold Coast clinic today
With their high level of expertise, our team here at Mermaid Beach Radiology value accuracy in medical care. We care about you and your health.
As a medical imaging provider, we want to make sure that all of your questions are answered. You can contact our Gold Coast radiology clinic customer service team with any queries, by telephone at +61 7 5619 9499. If you’re not sure if you’re Medicare eligible, you can still call and enquire.
To book an appointment for any of our world-class services, you can click here and fill in the appointment form. We offer more than just MRI services, as we also offer CT scans, X-Rays and more.
We value your feedback! If you think there is something we could have done better, please don’t hesitate to let us know, by email at info@mermaidbeachradiology.com.au.
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday – Closed
Sunday – Closed
MRI FAQs
Is an MRI scan covered by Medicare?
The relationship between Medicare and MRI is complex and eligibility for scan rebates are dependent of several factors, including scan requested and whether the requesting doctor is a General Practitioner or Specialist. Furthermore, MRI scanners require a rebate licence issued by Medicare – which is issued as either partial or full MRI licence. The licence category also impacts eligibility of scans referred by doctors. Unfortunately, Medicare have not issued MRI rebate licence in over seven years. This means our next-generation MRI technology is not (yet) covered by Medicare and is full privately funded. The upside to this is that our wait time is significantly less, translating to faster time to diagnosis and treatment.
Are there any possible side effects to an MRI scan?
Prior to your scan, we will ask you to complete an MRI safety questionnaire which we will review with you to ensure that are safe to receive an MRI scan. For individuals deemed safe (e.g. no ferrous implants), MRI scans are considered to be very safe, with no side effects from the scan. Unlike CT, MRI does not use harmful ionising radiation. Although usually mild and short lived, some people experience side effects to MR contrast including nausea, headache, skin rash or dizziness. Please speak to our friendly reception team if you would like more information regarding MRI contrast. If you experience any side effects following MRI contrast during or after your MRI scan, please advise the MRI team and speak to your doctor.
Are MRI scans bulk billed?
As of 2024, Medicare have not issued MRI rebate licences in over seven years. This means scans acquired on the the latest MRI technology in Southeast Queensland, including our exclusive research-grade 3T MRI, are not eligible for Medicare rebates. It is important to note that not all MRI providers are equal in their diagnostic quality. For example bulk-billed MRI business models receive the same amount regardless of the number of MR sequences or spacial resolution – both of which relate to diagnostic confidence. On average, Mermaid Beach Radiology performs more sequences with exclusive AI-powered resolution meaning a more confident diagnosis, the first time. As a bonus, our MRI wait time is typically 1 – 3 days for routine scans. Specialised scans (e.g. Whole Body MRI) wait time is approximately one week.
Do I need a referral for an MRI scan?
A referral is needed for an MRI scan at Mermaid Beach Radiology. You need a referral from your practitioner or specialist before we can book your MRI scan.
When will I get my MRI scan results?
In most cases, your doctor will receive the results of your MRI scan within two to three business days. The results are usually delivered to you over the phone or as part of a follow-up appointment, where the next stages of your diagnosis or treatment plans are discussed. In some cases where the MRI scan is urgent, your results can be processed quickly. Approximately seven days after your report has been delivered to your requesting doctor, you will have access to your report in your MBR patient phone app.
World-Class Radiology
