UCHealth Eastview Medical Center is first in state to install new MRI that offers patients roomier, more comfortable experience
Free.Max MRI is game-changer for patients who have trouble tolerating scans in smaller machines
Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sept. 16, 2025) –UCHealth Eastview Medical Center is now home to Colorado’s first Free.Max MRI – the world’s widest MRI scanner, designed to enhance both patient comfort and diagnostic precision.
With an 80 cm (31.5 inch) bore, the scanner offers significantly more space than standard MRIs, which are typically either 60 cm (23.6 inches) or 70 cm (27.5 inches). The wider bore provides more headroom and shoulder space, reducing anxiety and discomfort for patients.
“At UCHealth, we are always focused on the needs of our patients, and that’s why we’ve invested in this advanced technology – the first and only MRI of its kind in Colorado,” said Lonnie Cramer, president and CEO of UCHealth’s southern Colorado region. “Not only will it offer a superior patient experience, it also expands diagnostic options available to physicians. We are thrilled to able to offer it to our community.”
In addition to its larger size, the Free.Max scanner operates at a much lower magnetic field strength and uses AI-powered imaging technology that provides clearer and faster scans, including improved imaging of certain implants, such as orthopedic hardware.
An MRI – which stands for magnetic resonance imaging – can be very helpful in diagnosing injuries and identifying disease in early stages. The process requires that patients remain very still to ensure a successful scan with clear images.
“MRI scans are an important tool for an accurate diagnosis, and for people who suffer anxiety or are claustrophobic, the experience can be intimidating. The new MRI is much more spacious, resulting in a significantly better patient experience,” said Chris Gallegos, radiology manager for UCHealth’s southern region. “With a larger bore and a table capacity of up to 700 pounds, the system opens MRI access to a patient population that previously may not have been able to be scanned on our other machines.”
The Free.Max is the second MRI at Eastview Medical Center. UCHealth also has seven other MRIs in the region – two at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, one at Memorial Hospital North, two at Grandview, one at Interquest Medical Center and one at Pikes Peak Regional Hospital.
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