An MRI scan is a medical diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of magnetic fields and radio waves to create images of a human body’s internal structures and organs. It is commonly used by medical professionals to diagnose health conditions that affect soft tissues like tumors or brain disorders.
MRI medical scanning equipment is a complex medical diagnostic tool that can be expensive to buy and use which makes it available only in large or very specialized medical centers. MRI medical scanning technologies are especially helpful for medical professionals to create images of soft tissues in the human body like internal organs and muscles that generally do not show up on ordinary x-ray examinations.
MRI scanning uses the liquid inside the human body which makes them very useful for medical diagnostic procedures since all tissues of the human body contain various amounts of water which allow high-resolution images of internal organs and tissues to be taken that are commonly invisible to standard x-rays and other scanning devices.
How does MRI technology work?
An MRI Gold Coast scanning machine uses a table where a patient lies and that slides into a large cylinder that has strong magnets to create a powerful magnetic field around the human body.
Since soft tissues contain water molecules, the magnetic field generated by the MRI machine acts upon the substances that are found in water which magnetizes it to send out an echo in response to the MRI scan’s radio waves which a computer then organizes the echo returns that are generated into highly detailed images that are accurate for use in various medical diagnostic procedures. The MRI machine can also accurately take highly detailed cross-sectional images of a patient’s soft tissues and internal organs from almost any angle.
The uses of MRI.
An MRI scan is commonly used to investigate or diagnose health conditions that adversely affect the various soft tissues in the human body, like:
- Tumors also include cancer.
- Damaged ligaments and other soft tissue injuries.
- Injuries or diseases of the joints.
- Injuries or diseases of the spine.
- Injuries or diseases of various internal organs like the brain, heart, and digestive organs.
By using MRI medical scanning technology, medical professionals are provided with clear and highly detailed images of the various soft tissues of the human body. However, MRI scanning also has its limitations as it cannot visualize bone tissue very well since bone tissue does not contain much water which is why bone injuries or diseases are generally scanned through regular x-ray technologies rather than through an MRI machine.
Things to consider before an MRI scan.
- Any metal inside the human body- some metal objects can be adversely affected by the magnetic field generated during an MRI scanning procedure. Any internal devices or metallic implants a patient may have like, such as heart pacemakers, metal pins, or a medication pump can be harmfully affected and damaged by an MRI machine.
- During pregnancy– although studies about the effects of MRI scanning on a fetus are still in its infancy, it is important women need to tell their doctor if they are pregnant or if they think they may be pregnant.
- Pre-scan fasting– medical professionals generally will order their patients not to eat or drink for at least five hours before undergoing any pelvic or abdominal MRI scan. While it is usually not necessary to avoid any food or drink before an MRI scanning procedure it often depends on the specific scan required by a doctor if any pre-scan fasting is required.
- Possible claustrophobic patients– patients need to tell their doctor if they commonly experience claustrophobia in enclosed spaces. Some patients can find the confined space inside an MRI machine while they are being scanned upsetting, their doctor may offer them mild medications to help them relax while they undergo their scanning procedure.
- Children– often very young children about to undergo an MRI scanning procedure are given mild anti-anxiety medications by their doctor to help them relax while they are inside an MRI tunnel.
The MRI scanning procedure.
MRI scanning will involve the following:
- The patient will be asked to remove all metal objects on their person, including wristwatches, keys, and even jewelry. These metallic items are left outside an MRI scanning room.
- The patient is then asked to put on an examination gown and lie on the MRI scanner’s table which then slides into the cylinder. The inside of an MRI scanning machine is equipped with an intercom which allows patients inside the MRI scanning machine to talk with their radiography staff.
- Since any movement will blur or distort the images generated by the MRI machine the patients are asked to lie still while scanning is underway.
- Patients can expect parts of their body that are scanned to feel a little warm.
- MRI scans can take up to an hour depending on the diagnosis required.
Possible complications during an MRI scanning procedure.
- While MRI scanning can be considered a very safe medical scanning procedure, occasional complications may arise like
- Injuries from unaccounted metal objects both in and on the patient or on the MRI scanning machine itself.
- Possible damage to internal metal devices like heart pacemakers or medical pins.
- Possible reactions to the contrasting dyes injected in a patient to diagnose blood vessels, veins, and arteries.
Alternatives to an MRI scanning procedure.
An MRI medical diagnostic scanning machine is a complicated and very expensive piece of medical diagnostic equipment that is costly to use and can only be commonly found in large or very specialized medical centers. These alternatives to MRI depend on the medical condition that is being diagnosed or used in conjunction with an MRI scanning machine.
- X-ray scanning
- Computed tomography scanning or CT scans. (CT) and,
- Ultrasound
There are no known long-term side effects to patients undergoing MRI scanning procedures. MRI medical diagnostic scanning does not use any ionizing radiation like x-rays to achieve high-definition diagnostic images and is widely considered a safe, non-invasive, and painless diagnostic procedure that generally does not require any patient recovery time after an MRI scanning procedure is performed. There are also no special after-care instructions for patients after they undergo MRI scanning.
