MRI: What is it and How Can it Help You? Should you be Afraid of this Procedure?

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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an evaluation that uses robust magnets, radio waves, and also a computer to capture detailed pictures within your body. Your doctor or health specialist  can use this test to discover you or to witness how well you have responded to treatment. Unlike CT scans or X-rays, an MRI hardly uses radiation.

Why do individuals get MRI?

An MRI is assistive for a doctor to diagnose a wound or a disease, and it can supervise how effectively you are doing with a treatment.   You can easily find MRI scan centers in Chennai or in your city. Moreover, these centres are specific for MRI procedure so you would not have to worry about anything.

What does MRI for heart looks for?

It looks for:

  • Injury caused by a heart attack
  • Problems with the structure of the heart
  • Blocked blood vessels
  • Heart ailments

What does MRI of your brain and spinal cord looks for?

It looks for:

  • Cancer
  • Brain injury
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Stroke
  • Blood vessel damage
  • Manifold sclerosis

What does MRI of bones and joints looks for?

It looks for:

  • Infections related to bones
  • Cancer
  • Damage to joints
  • Disc issues in the spine

MRI can even be carried out to evaluate the health of the organs such as:

  • Liver
  • Breasts (women)
  • Prostate (men)
  • Pancreas
  • Ovaries (women)
  • Kidneys

Similarly you should know that there is a special kind of MRI toothat is known as a functional MRI (fMRI).  It maps the activity of the brain. It is anexam that looks at the blood flow in the brain to search out which zones get active when you do particular tasks. An fMRI can notice brain issues, like the influences of a stroke, or even for brain mapping if you require brain surgery for tumours or epilepsy. Your doctor can use this test to plan the treatment.

Should you panic about MRI?

In case you are going to experience the MRI scanning for the first time in life then too no need to worry.  The procedure of MRI is absolutely safe and painless. However, before the procedure makes sure you tell your doctor about:

  • If you have any type of health problems, such as kidney or liver ailments
  • Lately underwent any kind of surgery
  • Experience any type of allergies to food or medicine, or if you are going through asthma.
  • You are pregnant, or might be pregnant

It is equally vital to know that no metal is allowed in the MRI room. It is as the magnetic field in machine can attract metal. It would be critical that you tell your doctor whether you have any metal-based devices that might cause issues during the task of test. These could be like:

  • Metal joints or limbs
  • Cochlear implants
  • Body piercings
  • Drug pumps
  • Implanted nerve stimulator
  • Fillings and other dental work
  • Insulin pump
  • Pins or screws
  • Metal fragments, such as a bullet or shrapnel
  • Pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)
  • Artificial heart valves

Similarly in case you have any kind of tattoos, it is important you talk with your doctor. Some inks do have metal. Then on the day of thistest, it would be advised to wear loose, easy clothing that does not have buttons, snaps or other metal clasps. There is also likelihood that you may have to take off the clothes and wear a hospital gown during the time of the test. These things are to ensure that there is no kind of inconvenience or interruption during this test. It would be better if you remove all the following things when going for this MRI test:

  • Cell phone
  • Coins
  • Underwire bra
  • Dentures
  • Hearing aids
  • Eyeglasses
  • Watch
  • Wig
  • Keys

If by chance you don’t like enclosed spaces or you are fearful about the test, it would be better if you tell your doctor. You might be able to get an open MRI or be given medicine to feel relaxed before the test.

The physical appearance of MRI machine

A proper MRI machine is a huge tube that has a hole at both ends. A magnet circles this tube. You lay on a table that slips all the way into that tube. But yes in a short-bore system, you are not fully inside the MRI machine. Just the portion of your body that is getting scanned is within. The rest of the body stays outside the machine. If you speak of an open MRI, it is open on all sides. It is the type of machine that might be finest if you have claustrophobia, a condition of a fear of tight spaces — or you are extremely obese.  But thing to remember is that the images that captured through open MRI machines is not as good as in the case of closed MRI.

What do you experience during the test?

 Before some MRIs, you are going to get contrast dye into a vein in the hand or arm. The dye is helpful for the doctor to   see structures inside the body in a proper manner. The dye mostly used in MRIs is known as gadolinium. It can leave a metal taste in your mouth. You will lie on a table that slides into the MRI machine. Straps could be used to grip you still during the examination. Your body may be inside the machine completely.

The MRI machine develops a strong magnetic field inside the body. A computer takes the signals from the MRI and utilisesthem to make anorder of pictures. Every single picture displays a slim slice of your body. During the procedure you could hear a loud tapping or thumping noise. It is the machine that emits the sounds because it creates energy to take pictures within your body. The patients can always ask for headphones to keep themselves calm.

Conclusion

So, since you know so much about MRI and its procedure now, you can visit the best MRI in Chennai without any headache or inconvenience.