JULIANNA TENO, BS, RT (R) (MR)
MRI TECHNOLOGIST

Get to know Julianna Teno, MRI Technologist:
I went to Indian Hills Community College for radiologic technology and then earned my bachelor’s degree in Imaging Sciences through Boise State University. My first job was working at the Iowa State Veterinary Hospital as a rad tech, where I got to do all kinds of imaging on small and large animals, including MRI. This environment really helped me develop my critical thinking skills, and it’s where I found I really wanted to do MRI full time. After 3 years, I decided to take the opportunity to work at a very busy outpatient facility doing strictly MRI. I worked there for 5 years before deciding I wanted to move back to my hometown and work at Monroe County Hospital & Clinics.

What do you like about MRI?
What I like about MRI is that no 2 cases are exactly the same. Everyone’s anatomy is slightly different, so I have to adapt to every patient. It’s never boring and keeps me on my toes! I also like that the longer exam times give me a lot of time to really interact with the patients.

What are the reasons why you wanted to do MRI?
What first intrigued me about MRI is the images. It’s very interesting to be able to scroll through all the images that have such fine detail. I also liked the critical thinking aspect. Having to adapt to different anatomy can be challenging, but it’s very rewarding!

Can you talk about our in-house MRI suite and what makes it great?
Our MRI suite is very spacious and has natural light. We have a very large window in the suite, and depending on the exam we are doing, patients may even be able to see out the window during their test. We also offer headphone with music to listen to, which is a huge help for patients. The scanner is also wide and short, allowing for better patient comfort for those that are claustrophobic.

Why should patients come to MCHC to get their MRI? What makes us different?
Being a smaller facility means that we have the time to connect with each individual patient and make sure they don’t feel rushed. We take the time to make sure each patient feels they’ve got a quality exam and had a good experience with us.