The plus-sized and the claustrophobic will no longer have to leave the Island for MRIs now that Deputy Premier Ewart Brown's Bermuda Healthcare Services has acquired a state of the art open MRI.

The million dollar machine, which uses magnetic and radio waves to create images of body tissue for diagnostic purposes, was formally unveiled at a brief ceremony yesterday.

What distinguishes Dr. Brown's MRI is that it is open, unlike the hospital's which is closed.

"It's a wonderful day when we have state of the art technology in Bermuda," said Dr. Brown. "And it's cause for celebration."

He said he expected that the service would be utilised especially considering that a number of people had to leave the Island for their MRIs because they were either too large for the hospital's closed machine, or claustrophobic.

Industry estimates are that 35 percent of all MRI users would use open MRI, he said.

And the procedure will be covered by the Mutual Reinsurance Fund.

Images from the MRI will be transmitted to Boston's Lahey clinic via a dedicated high speed Internet connection and interpreted there ? meaning results could be had within hours.

"This represents eight years of work and persistence," said Dr. Brown moments before the unveiling.

"We wanted to give Bermuda an opportunity to have a second MRI unit ? particularly because this is an open MRI unit."

Premier Alex Scott said it was also important to have a second unit on the Island to provide some redundancy.

And he praised Dr. Brown as a "visionary" with the energy of the Energiser Bunny.

"He just keeps going, going, going and achieving and what he has accomplished today gives Bermuda a significant service and redundancy," the Premier said.

Health Minister Patrice Minors referred to those who questioned his plan to bring in the new machine as "naysayers" and also praised Dr. Brown for his perseverance.

"This is a continuation of his desire to serve the people of Bermuda and the medical profession."