An MRI is a very safe and painless diagnostic test that uses radio waves and magnetic fields to create very detailed images of the structures inside your body. Unlike X-rays that only visualize the bone abnormalities, the MRI can visualize bone, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and muscles. Let’s consider some situations where an MRI is useful to help diagnose the cause of neck, shoulder, or arm pain.
Most people get advanced imaging studies such as MRI or CT scans performed at a hospital rather than a independent diagnostic imaging center. Perhaps they believe mistakenly that hospitals can provide better quality images or that the charges at an independent imaging center may be high. Nothing could be further from the truth! Allow us to shatter these myths and then some.
Bumps and bruises are a normal part of childhood for energetic and active kids. Occasionally, if your child is injured or not feeling well, an MRI may be recommended to fully evaluate the condition. Being in the unfamiliar setting of the MRI room can make the child a bit anxious.
Injuries or accidents occur unexpectedly leaving you no choice but to deal with the situation. Also, there are times when your doctor needs to look further into your medical condition and will order a radiology test to get pictures of your insides (anatomy). X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans and Ultrasounds are the radiology tests commonly used to do this and you will be sent to the hospital or outpatient imaging facility (commonly called an MRI Facility).
The most important thing while undergoing an MRI scan is to lie still and relax. But for patients who feel uncomfortable in confined spaces, the procedure can lead to some tense and anxious moments. At Houston MRI®, we rarely experience this problem as our advanced MRI machines have a more advanced ‘open’ design and the time in the MRI machine is usually about 20 minutes. However, if you belong to the 5% of Americans who have claustrophobia, here are some tips to alleviate anxiety when you are in an MRI:
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