MRI Services

State-of-the-Art Imaging for Accurate Diagnoses

When you’ve been injured or are suffering from chronic pain, it’s important to get the best treatment possible for optimal recovery. This means you’ll need an accurate diagnosis as well. An accurate diagnosis helps your doctors know what they need to do to treat your condition. Doctors have many methods and tools at their disposal for performing a diagnosis. These typically include a physical examination, a review of your medical history, X-ray imaging, or a CT scan. Although these methods and tools are indispensable in a complete diagnosis, one of the best tools your doctor can rely on is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

At iRISE Spine and Joint, we are proud to offer MRI scans at several of our locations to ensure that our doctors have everything they need to diagnose you quickly and accurately. Contact us today to learn more.

What Is an MRI Scan?

MRI scans offer doctors a visual of the organs, musculoskeletal system, and neurological systems in your body. MRI scans produce 3-D images. This allows doctors to view the area in question from multiple angles.

MRI scans are completed in large, tube-like machines lined with magnets. While you lie in the machine, the magnetic field causes your hydrogen atoms to temporarily realign and put off signals that can be captured by the MRI scanner. These signals are assembled into the images your doctor can use in your diagnosis.

How Can an MRI Help?

Some conditions are straightforward and simple to diagnose without MRI imaging. However, some conditions are complicated and others are difficult to diagnose without the confirmation of MRI imaging.

Because an MRI scan can provide an image of most parts of your body, it can be used in the diagnosis of many conditions, including:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Spinal deformities
• Torn ligaments or cartilage
• Heart conditions
• Herniated disc
• Bone infections or tumors
• Stroke
• Disorders in your organs

After examining your condition, your doctor will determine if an MRI scan is necessary. It may be used to identify an exact cause of your condition or to confirm what your doctor already suspects may be the cause.

MRI scans are not for everybody. People with pacemakers and metal implants cannot undergo an MRI scan since the magnets will affect the implants and may cause harm. Not all pregnant women can have MRI scans. Your doctor will be able to determine if your pregnancy causes you to not be a good candidate for an MRI scan.

Benefits of an MRI Scan

One of the main benefits of an MRI scan is its versatility. It can be used to capture an image of any part of your body. MRI images provide an excellent contrast between soft tissue and the fat, water, and muscles that show up in the images. Since the images are 3-D, your doctor has a more comprehensive view of what may be the source of your pain.

There are many benefits to using an MRI, such as that it is:

• Noninvasive: MRI imaging does not require any incisions and does not involve the use of radiation.
• Hypoallergenic: Substances used in X-rays and CT scans can produce allergic reactions in some patients. Allergic reactions from an MRI scan are extremely rare.
• Detailed: An MRI scan can produce hundreds of images and can capture small parts of the body that are difficult to see with other forms of diagnosis.

Are There Risks Involved in an MRI Scan?

Although it’s not necessarily a risk, one of the major concerns with MRI imaging is comfort. Some people are uneasy with the idea of lying still in a tube for a long period of time. MRI scanners can be noisy too, so this is off-putting for some people.

However, at iRISE Spine and Joint, our MRI technicians make sure you’re comfortable and at ease before, during, and after your MRI scan.

The actual risks involved in an MRI scan are minimal. These may include:

• Interference from magnetic objects: The magnets in an MRI machine are extremely powerful. Your MRI technicians will minimize this risk by making sure you have no metallic objects in your clothing or pockets or near the machine.
• Allergic reaction: As mentioned before, allergic reactions with MRI scans are extremely rare, but they are possible.
• Sedation: Some patients elect for sedation (usually in cases of claustrophobia) during the MRI scan. There is always a small risk when using sedation.

Schedule Your MRI Today

At iRISE Spine and Joint, we use state-of-the-art MRI imaging machines to provide physicians with accurate images for an effective diagnosis. Patients and physicians alike refer people to our MRI facility because of the accuracy of our images and the friendliness of our staff.

We make sure your MRI experience is as stress-free and comfortable as possible. Call us at (888) 966-9750 to speak to our MRI technicians about an appointment!