MRI: below the surface

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ryan J. Sonnier
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. --  The 779th Medical Group's Magnetic Resonance Imaging section cares for the estimated 14,000 military members, retirees and their families in the National Capital Region.

MRIs help diagnose a variety of disorders thanks to its strong magnetic and radio waves that produce detailed images of the body.  Some of the ailments that can be diagnosed are:  brain deformities, injuries, musculoskeletal problems, vascular anomalies and spinal conditions.

"[My job] is to make sure the section is adequately seeing patients and producing diagnosable images for the doctors to read," said Staff Sgt. Adrian Solorzano, 779 MDG MRI NCO in-charge. "I also ensure the technicians are taken care of and happy."

If an injured patient needs an MRI to diagnose an issue, the technicians need to identify it as soon as possible so the physicians can treat it, he said. The mission and the patient's health could be hindered if it is not resolved in a timely manner.

Opal Bratsis, 779 MDG MRI technologist, said that teamwork and looking out for one another keeps the patient's best interest in mind and completes the mission.

"Whenever I get a patient, I always think about how I want to be treated and try to treat them the same; we all try our best to get the job done," she said. "We always get positive feedback from our patients, so what we're doing must be working."

Patient interaction is Solorzano's favorite part of the job.

"It gives me a chance to know a little about them and see what they do," he said. "I get to meet people from all stages of life."

Bratsis also said that even when the patient does not have an ideal situation, they try their best to accommodate and make the patient feel comfortable.

"We give patients and their families a piece of mind," Solorzano said.