Mri what does it diagnose

They may prepare children by showing them a model MRI scanner and playing the noises they might hear during the exam. They also answer any questions and explain the procedure to relieve anxiety. Some facilities also provide goggles or headsets so the child can watch a movie during the exam.

This helps the child stay still and allows for good quality images. The traditional MRI unit is a large cylinder-shaped tube surrounded by a circular magnet. You will lie on a table that slides into a tunnel towards the center of the magnet. Some MRI units, called short-bore systems , are designed so that the magnet does not completely surround you.

Some newer MRI machines have a larger diameter bore, which can be more comfortable for larger patients or those with claustrophobia. They are especially helpful for examining larger patients or those with claustrophobia. Open MRI units can provide high quality images for many types of exams. Open MRI may not be used for certain exams. For more information, consult your radiologist. Instead, radio waves re-align hydrogen atoms that naturally exist within the body. This does not cause any chemical changes in the tissues.

As the hydrogen atoms return to their usual alignment, they emit different amounts of energy depending on the type of tissue they are in. The scanner captures this energy and creates a picture using this information. In most MRI units, the magnetic field is produced by passing an electric current through wire coils.

Other coils are inside the machine and, in some cases, are placed around the part of the body being imaged. These coils send and receive radio waves, producing signals that are detected by the machine.

The electric current does not come into contact with the patient. A computer processes the signals and creates a series of images, each of which shows a thin slice of the body. The radiologist can study these images from different angles. MRI is often able to tell the difference between diseased tissue and normal tissue better than x-ray, CT, and ultrasound.

The technologist will position you on the moveable exam table. They may use straps and bolsters to help you stay still and maintain your position. The technologist may place devices that contain coils capable of sending and receiving radio waves around or next to the area of the body under examination.

MRI exams generally include multiple runs sequences , some of which may last several minutes. Each run will create a different set of noises.

If your exam uses a contrast material, a doctor, nurse, or technologist will insert an intravenous catheter IV line into a vein in your hand or arm. They will use this IV to inject the contrast material.

You will be placed into the magnet of the MRI unit. The technologist will perform the exam while working at a computer outside of the room. You will be able to talk to the technologist via an intercom. If your exam uses a contrast material, the technologist will inject it into the intravenous line IV after an initial series of scans.

They will take more images during or following the injection. When the exam is complete, the technologist may ask you to wait while the radiologist checks the images in case more are needed. The technologist will remove your IV line after the exam is over and place a small dressing over the insertion site.

Depending on the type of exam and the equipment used, the entire exam is usually completed in 30 to 50 minutes. Most MRI exams are painless. However, some patients find it uncomfortable to remain still.

Others may feel closed-in claustrophobic while in the MRI scanner. The scanner can be noisy. It is normal for the area of your body being imaged to feel slightly warm. If it bothers you, tell the radiologist or technologist. It is important that you remain perfectly still while the images are being taken.

This is typically only a few seconds to a few minutes at a time. You will know when images are being recorded because you will hear and feel loud tapping or thumping sounds. The coils that generate the radio waves make these sounds when they are activated. You will be provided with earplugs or headphones to reduce the noise made by the scanner. You may be able to relax between imaging sequences. However, you will need to keep the same position as much as possible without moving.

You will usually be alone in the exam room. However, the technologist will be able to see, hear, and speak with you at all times using a two-way intercom. Many facilities allow a friend or parent to stay in the room if they have also been screened for safety. Children will be given appropriately sized earplugs or headphones during the exam. This helps pinpoint problems in the brain and the brain stem when the scan focuses on those areas.

MRI can detect a variety of conditions of the brain such as cysts, tumors, bleeding, swelling, developmental and structural abnormalities, infections, inflammatory conditions, or problems with the blood vessels. It can determine if a shunt is working and detect damage to the brain caused by an injury or a stroke.

MRI of the brain can be useful in evaluating problems such as persistent headaches, dizziness, weakness, and blurry vision or seizures, and it can help to detect certain chronic diseases of the nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis.

In some cases, MRI can provide clear images of parts of the brain that can't be seen as well with an X-ray, CAT scan, or ultrasound, making it particularly valuable for diagnosing problems with the pituitary gland and brain stem. In many cases, a brain MRI requires no special preparation. However, the technician will have your child remove any objects containing metal such as eyeglasses and jewelry because they can produce a bright or blank spot on the diagnostic film.

You'll also be asked questions to make sure your child doesn't have any internal metal clips from previous surgery or anything else that might cause a problem near a strong magnetic field. Electronic devices aren't permitted in the MRI room. To get the highest quality MRI results, your child will need to lie still during the scan. For this reason, sedation may be needed, especially for babies and young kids, who often have trouble staying still for the test.

Sedation is also helpful for kids who have trouble relaxing in an enclosed space claustrophobia. Sedation medicines usually are given through an intravenous IV line small tube in a vein to help a child stay asleep during the entire test.

If your child will be sedated, food and liquids will be stopped at a certain point before the MRI to allow the stomach to empty. It's important to notify the MRI technician of any illness, allergy, previous drug reactions, or pregnancy. You can stay in the MRI room with your child until the test begins, and some centers let parents stay throughout the test.

Otherwise, you'll join the technician in an outer room or be asked to stay in a waiting room. In some cases, you may be asked to get back into the MRI scanner so that more pictures can be taken. If the pictures are satisfactory, you can get dressed and go home. There are no known long-term side effects from undergoing MRI. The MRI scan does not use ionising radiation to achieve its pictures.

Be guided by your doctor but, generally, there are no special after-care instructions. A radiologist and other specialised doctors will examine and interpret the scan images. You will need to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the results. The MRI scan will help the doctor to plan appropriate treatment, if necessary. The MRI scanner is a complicated piece of equipment that is expensive to use and found only in specialised centres. Alternatives to MRI depend on the medical condition under investigation, but could include:.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. The long-term effects of brain injury will be different for each person and can range from mild to profound. A person with alcohol related brain impairment ARBI might experience problems with coordination, thinking, planning and memory.

If a person with alcohol related brain impairment is aware of their memory limits, they can learn how to deal with them. People with alcohol related brain impairment benefit when their life is organised and follows a good structure. Allergy testing is used to find which substances provoke an allergic reaction. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. You cannot wear jewelry or have metal of any kind on your body such as on your clothes during the MRI.

In fact, you may be asked to walk through a metal detector before having an MRI. Additionally, if you have metal inside your body, you may not be able to have an MRI. Discuss this with your doctor before scheduling an MRI if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have:. MRIs are painless. Any movement could result in blurred images, just as they would with a typical camera. The amount of time for the scan will vary, depending on what you are having scanned.

Normally, scans last between 15 minutes to an hour. The MRI machine itself looks like a big donut with a table attached to it. Your whole body does not go in the machine, only the half or part that needs to be scanned. It makes a lot of different noises, and some of them are extremely loud. Some patients say it sounds like a sledgehammer. For this reason, you will be offered headphones. You can listen to music or sometimes even watch a movie.

Pressing the button will signal the technician that you would like to stop the scan and come out of the machine. Some doctors may prescribe a one-time, low-dose anti-anxiety medicine to relax you for the test.

This person also will not be allowed to wear jewelry or metal and will have to go through the same screening process as the person being scanned. A radiologist a doctor who specializes in medical imaging will review the images and send a report to your referring doctor. Your doctor will receive a full report a day or two following the test and can go over the results with you. Even though having an MRI is safe and painless, it can be a difficult test for persons who are claustrophobic. The MRI machine is never completely closed, but just being even partially in an enclosed area is enough to fill some people with dread.

Open MRI machines are, as the name suggests, more open and less confining than the traditional machines. They have larger openings and do not completely surround your body. This makes them a better alternative not only for claustrophobic patients, but also for obese patients or normal-sized males who have larger shoulders.

Small children who are incapable are being still for the duration of the scan may require sedation prior to having an MRI. In this case, an anesthesiologist would provide the sedation and stay in addition to a nurse to monitor the patient before, during, and after the scan. Sedation is also sometimes used for patients who are extremely claustrophobic.

If your MRI requires contrast, your radiologist will monitor you for allergies during the procedure.