The Maternity Hospital in Buraidah launches fetal MRI service
In a significant step aimed at enhancing the quality of specialized healthcare services in the Qassim region, the Qassim Health Cluster announced the activation of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (FMI) at the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Buraidah. This initiative is part of the cluster's comprehensive strategy to integrate the healthcare system and provide the latest advanced medical technologies, thus eliminating the need for patients to travel to major medical centers outside the region to access this sophisticated service.
The importance of the service in the context of health transformation
The launch of this service is a significant medical achievement for the region, aligning with the objectives of the Kingdom's healthcare transformation program, which aims to facilitate access to healthcare services and enhance the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. Fetal MRI is of paramount importance in modern fetal medicine, providing high-resolution images that surpass the capabilities of traditional ultrasound in some complex cases, thus giving physicians a greater ability to understand the fetus's health with extreme precision before birth.
Accuracy of diagnosis and integration of care
The Qassim Health Cluster explained that the new service is classified as an advanced specialized examination that plays a pivotal role in detecting and diagnosing congenital anomalies and complex medical conditions during pregnancy. This examination is used as a complementary and confirmatory procedure after detailed ultrasound scans, especially in cases where some fetal organs are not clearly visible or when there is a medical suspicion requiring definitive confirmation. This supports the medical team in making appropriate treatment decisions according to the highest international standards.
Complete safety and high operational efficiency
The association emphasized that fetal MRI scans are highly safe for both mother and fetus, as they do not use ionizing radiation and typically take between 20 and 30 minutes without requiring any complex prior preparation. This procedure reflects the readiness of the medical and technical staff in the radiology department at the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Buraydah, and the availability of advanced technical equipment necessary for conducting such precise examinations.
Statistics reflect the scale of the achievement
In a related development, the hospital revealed the improved operational performance of its radiology department, which continued to provide its services with high efficiency throughout 2025. The department recorded impressive figures, including 3,919 MRI scans, 3,524 CT scans, 12,517 ultrasound scans, and 51,410 X-ray examinations. These statistics underscore the hospital's commitment to enhancing the efficiency of diagnostic services and supporting an integrated healthcare system that serves the region's residents and ensures patient satisfaction.
