Donors, faculty celebrate the installation of MUSC’s first upright MRI

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Dec. 16, 2024) – The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) celebrated the installation of an advanced upright magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at the MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion with donors and faculty. This state-of-the-art technology was made possible by a fundraising campaign spearheaded by Sydney Severance, a patient diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS, pronounced eh·lrz dan·lowz sin·drowm), a disorder that affects the connective tissue in the joints. 

In 2021, at just 17 years old, Severance launched Operation Upright, a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $1.2 million to fund the purchase of this specialized MRI machine. Severance, who suffered from debilitating pain for months before receiving a diagnosis, hopes that by making this machine more accessible, it will increase early detection of EDS. 

“I am deeply grateful for patients like Sydney who help us expand the possibilities for care,” said Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO, MUSC Health and vice president for Health Affairs, University. “This new MRI will make it possible to serve more patients who often cannot use traditional MRI machines and require weight-bearing spine imaging to fully diagnosis and treat conditions such as EDS.” 

The upright MRI’s innovative design features a tilting mechanism that allows patients to be scanned in a weight-bearing, standing position. This dynamic imaging approach helps reveal spine instabilities and other conditions that may go undetected in a traditional MRI scan, where a patient is lying down.

 “Upright imaging of the spine can help more affirmatively diagnose the source of symptoms - spinal symptoms occur in upright or sitting positions. It has been a guess about the pathologic source of symptoms when imaging to date has been done in a lying-down position. This upright imaging technology will really change the way we treat spinal symptoms,” said Sunil Patel, M.D., chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery. 

 Severance became ill in March 2020. After many doctors’ appointments and tests, Patel suspected that Severance had EDS but needed an upright MRI to confirm the diagnosis. With no machines in Charleston, Severance was forced to travel out of state. 

 Following Severance’s diagnosis, Patel performed a spinal fusion in January 2021 in Charleston. A few days after the procedure, Severance made a powerful decision: she would fundraise to bring an upright MRI to MUSC for others who, like her, faced difficulties accessing this specialized imaging.  “I knew there had to be a better way for others to get the confirmation and reassurance that they needed,” Severance said. “I’m so thankful for the support of my family, friends and others who made this possible.”

Thanks to Severance’s perseverance and the generosity of 480 donors—including 83 individuals who created their own fundraising pages—the $1.2 million goal was surpassed in April 2023. Together, these contributions, combined with additional funding from MUSC Health, enabled the purchase of the $2.5 million MRI system and necessary facility renovations. 

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 About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our academic programs, visit musc.edu.As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.