Valley Open MRI & Diagnostic Center (VOM), where the patient is the center of attention, is the clinical vision of Juan D. Gaia, M.D. This vision is based on the strongly held belief that the Greater Wilkes-Barre area physician community and their patients deserve access to the most sophisticated imaging technology and interpretive expertise available delivered with unsurpassed levels of clinical responsiveness and personalized service.

While constantly striving to provide the latest in break-through technology and techniques, the primary focus of VOM is the patient undergoing the procedure and the clinical needs of the referring physician. The array of scanners, computers, and supporting technology utilized by VOM provide the means to acquire superior images to accurately diagnose the patient’s condition and quickly report those findings to the referring physician to assist him or her in providing the highest quality care possible to their patient.

High technology, however, is simply a collection of tools. Of equal importance to diagnostic accuracy is the heart behind the hands and minds that weld the technology. The patient’s physical and emotional comfort while undergoing the prescribed procedure and that of concerned loved ones who accompany them and anxiously wait while the procedure is performed, is of the utmost concern to the VOM staff.

Providing a warm, friendly, supportive and empathetic environment for every patient and guest is a core value of VOM. For many people, having to subject one’s self to the latest in cutting-edge medical technology" can be an intimidating and frightening experience regardless of the diagnostic and clinical benefit’s the equipment and procedure provides. Dr. Gaia and every staff member of VOM recognize, appreciate and are ever mindful of this fact. Every effort is therefore consistently taken to ensure that the entire experience is as pleasant and stress-free as possible.

With patient comfort in mind, VOM offers a number of amenities to compliment its technology such as dedicated Mammography Suite, an "open" MRI scanner, and conscious sedation administered by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) under the supervision of the radiologists.

In our continuous efforts to provide the latest advances in medical imaging, VOM embarked on an ambitious facility expansion project that brought to the Wyoming Valley in the fall of 2000 the newest generation of General Electric (GE) high speed, high resolution MRI and multi-row sensor CT scanners available. These scanners are supported by two powerful image processing computer workstations. Collectively, these technological enhancements make available some of the most sophisticated advances in cardiac, vascular and neurological imaging capabilities to be found anywhere in the world.

VOM will further augment its diagnostic technological capabilities with the addition of computer-aided detection system (CAD) in our Mammography service and peripheral vascular arterial duplex capabilities in our Ultrasound service. The Ultrasound acquisition, anticipated to be on-line by the Autumn of 2003, combined with certifications in Vascular, Obstetric, and General Sonography held by our Ultrasound Technologist, will further extend VOM’s vascular imaging capabilities. The addition of CAD in Mammography will enhance the early detection of breast disorders.

With nearly thirty years of radiology experience, Dr. Gaia is both committed and determined to provide an unsurpassed level of diagnostic expertise and service to the physicians and people of the Wyoming Valley, many of which are usually only available in large medical teaching institutions in major metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York City. With this technology locally available patient convenience will be significantly improved, the need for advanced diagnostic and clinical imaging studies will be met, the patient care interests of the physician community for accurate and timely information will be served, and precious time will be saved.