Articles · September 2, 2026 · 5 min read
Open MRI in El Paso: what a wide-bore 3-Tesla MRI changes
Desert Imaging has no open MRI in El Paso. Desert Imaging West has a 3-Tesla wide-bore MRI with a 75 cm opening and shorter exams for claustrophobia.
Looking for an open MRI in El Paso? Desert Imaging does not run an open-sided MRI. Desert Imaging West, 122 W. Castellano Dr., has a 3-Tesla wide-bore uMR Omega with a 75 cm opening, a lit ceiling and many exams in about half the time, for patients who feel claustrophobic. Ask for the wide-bore system when you book.
Every week someone tells us, apologetically, that they are not sure they can do the MRI. There is nothing to apologize for. Lying still inside a narrow tube, with the noise, for half an hour, is a reasonable thing to dread. It is also the reason wide-bore magnets exist.
What "wide bore" means
The bore is the opening you slide into. On a conventional MRI it is about 60 centimeters across, roughly the width of a doorway with your arms at your sides. On the 3-Tesla system at our West center it is 75 centimeters. Fifteen centimeters does not sound like much until you are lying in it: it is the difference between your shoulders brushing the sides and having room to move your elbows, and between the ceiling of the tube being a few inches from your face and being comfortably above you.
The bore is also shorter, front to back. For many exams, your head stays outside the magnet entirely. A knee, ankle, or foot MRI puts only your leg inside. Even for a spine or abdomen exam, your face is usually near the open end, with light and air on both sides.
What "3-Tesla" means for you
Tesla measures the strength of the magnet. A 3-Tesla magnet is twice the strength of the 1.5-Tesla systems most people have scanned in. The stronger field gives clearer pictures in less time, which is where this matters for anxiety: the same exam runs faster.
Shorter sequences mean fewer minutes of holding still, fewer minutes of noise, and a shorter exam overall. On the system at our West center, exams are up to 50 percent shorter than on a conventional magnet, depending on the protocol. The system also allows free breathing and very short breath holds.
What is still true
The wide-bore MRI is not an open MRI. An open MRI, in the older sense, has the magnet above and below you with the sides open. The wide bore is a tube, open at both ends, lit and ventilated, with more room inside than a conventional magnet. Open systems are usually low field, with longer exams and lower image quality, and most modern imaging centers, including ours, have moved away from them for that reason. The wide bore is the current answer: enough room to be comfortable, with the image quality your doctor needs.
The noise is still there. The knocking and buzzing are the machine's coils switching on and off, and they are the same on any MRI. You get earplugs or headphones with music, and you can talk to the technologist at any time. At West you can also look up at a starlight ceiling instead of a blank panel.
What helps
- Say it when you book. We will schedule you on the wide-bore system and tell the technologist. Nobody will be surprised on the day.
- Ask to go in feet first. For many exams it makes no difference to the pictures and a large difference to how it feels.
- Bring someone. A family member can sit in the scan room with you for most exams, after the same metal screening you go through.
- Keep your eyes closed or covered. A washcloth over the eyes sounds silly and works for a lot of people.
- Ask your doctor about medication. If past attempts have failed, your doctor can prescribe something to take beforehand. You will need a ride home if you do.
- Use the call button. You hold it the whole time. Squeezing it stops the sequence and brings the technologist in. Knowing you can stop is often enough not to need to.
The exam itself
The technologist explains each sequence before it starts and tells you how long it will last. Between sequences the machine is quiet and you can talk. If you need a break, you take one; the exam resumes where it left off.
Most people who were worried tell us afterward that the anticipation was worse than the exam. That is not a promise, but it is the usual outcome.
Where to find it
The 3-Tesla wide-bore MRI is at Desert Imaging West, 122 W. Castellano Dr., El Paso, open weeknights until 10 p.m. and Saturdays until 9.
Where else Desert Imaging does MRI
Desert Imaging does MRI and MRA at two El Paso centers. Desert Imaging West also has a 1.5-Tesla magnet, and Desert Imaging East, at 1727 Lee Trevino Dr., has a 1.5-Tesla magnet. One of our board-certified radiologists reads every exam here in El Paso.
For the list of MRI exams, contrast and preparation, see MRI at Desert Imaging. For each center's address and hours, see MRI at West and MRI at East.
Questions
Is the wide-bore MRI an open MRI?
No. It is a tube, open at both ends, with a 75 cm opening and a lit ceiling. An open MRI has open sides. Desert Imaging does not run an open MRI.
Do I need a doctor's order?
Yes. Bring your doctor's order and we take it from there. Do I need a referral for an MRI, CT scan or mammogram? explains how orders work.
Can my doctor give me something for claustrophobia?
Yes. Your doctor may prescribe an oral medication to take before the appointment. Tell us when you book, and bring someone to drive you home, since you should not drive after taking it.
How long does an MRI take?
Most exams take 45 minutes to an hour per body part. On the 3-Tesla wide-bore at West, many exams take about half that time.
What are the hours?
Desert Imaging West is open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Book your MRI
Call (915) 577-0100 and ask for the wide-bore system at West, or request an appointment online and mention it in the notes. Before you come, read How to prepare for an MRI. If you are paying on your own, read How much does an MRI cost without insurance.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Follow the instructions your doctor and our staff give you for your exam.
Ready to book your MRI and MRA?
Request an appointment online or call (915) 577-0100. Bring your doctor's order and we take it from there.