VALHALLA, NY — (September 14, 2026) — Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), is advancing care for patients requiring spine and scoliosis surgery with the use of 7D FLASH™ Navigation System and MRVision™, an innovative navigation and imaging technology that eliminates radiation from the spinal navigation workflow while supporting both pediatric and adult patients.
Currently in use across Orthopedics and Neurosurgery, 7D MRVision enables surgeons to plan and perform spine procedures without relying on traditional radiation-based imaging. The system uses advanced BoneMRI software to generate a CT-like image from an MRI scan, allowing for surgical planning and navigation without preoperative CT scans or intraoperative radiation exposure.
Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of WMCHealth, is the first pediatric hospital in New York and the only hospital in the Northeastern region of the United States to offer radiation-free spinal navigation, reinforcing its leadership in pediatric orthopedic innovation. It is also the second adult hospital in the state to adopt this technology.
“This represents a meaningful step forward in how we care for pediatric patients requiring complex spine surgery,” said Damon DelBello, MD, Section Chief of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery at WMCHealth. “By removing radiation from the navigation process, which can lead to severe complications like cancer, we are advancing both safety and precision. This is especially important for younger patients who may otherwise be exposed to repeated imaging over time.”
Traditional spine navigation techniques often require preoperative CT imaging or intraoperative radiation to guide instrumentation placement. In contrast, 7D MRVision enables a fully radiation-free workflow, from imaging through intraoperative navigation, a distinction not offered by conventional systems.
The ability to avoid radiation is especially important in pediatric spine care, where long-term safety is a central consideration. Children and adolescents are more sensitive to medical imaging radiation, and repeated exposure over time may increase their lifetime cancer risk. A paper published in The Spine Journal projected that intraoperative CT could result in one radiation-induced cancer for every 1,000 adolescent patients treated. By removing radiation from surgical navigation, 7D MRVision supports a safer environment for patients and care teams while maintaining the precision needed for complex spine procedures.
“In neurosurgery and complex spine care, precision and patient safety guide every decision we make,” said Chirag D. Gandhi, MD, FACS, FAANS, Director, Brain and Spine Institute at WMCHealth, and Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, New York Medical College. “A radiation-free approach to spine navigation allows us to deliver highly accurate care while avoiding exposure that can add up over a lifetime.”
Westchester Medical Center further differentiates its spine care approach through a comprehensive imaging and surgical pathway that integrates:
● Low-dose EOS full-body imaging for precise, standing skeletal assessment
● Radiation-free 7D MRVision navigation when surgery is required
Together, this continuum enables clinicians to minimize radiation exposure across the patient journey while maintaining high-quality imaging and surgical accuracy.
In addition to eliminating radiation, the 7D system supports streamlined clinical workflows, including MRI-based preoperative planning, automated image processing, and seamless integration with surgical navigation tools.
The adoption of 7D MRVision reflects Westchester Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to innovation, safety, and excellence in spine care for patients of all ages.
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