MRI

|MRI
MRI 2018-01-26T13:49:07+00:00

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (commonly referred to as a MRI) is an advanced diagnostic imaging technique that produces cross-sectional images of your body. This allows the physician to really “see inside of your body.” The MRI will give your physician a detailed two-dimensional image of the scanned body part. Here at Dominion we offer our own Open MRI machine to our treating patients who are in need of this diagnostic exam.  The openness of the MRI provides much relief to patients who may get restless during the exam or suffer from claustrophobia. You can see out all sides of the machine and into the technician room rather than being in an enclosed tunnel MRI machine. Although you cannot move about during an MRI exam, it is reassuring to be able to see and speak with the technicians, who strive to make you as comfortable as possible.

The MRI works without radiation. The MRI tool uses magnetic fields and an advanced computer to take high-resolution pictures of your soft tissues and your bones. It is important to tell your physician if you have metal clips, implants, or any other metal objects in your body before your MRI as these can affect the process. A MRI does not cause any pain to the patient, the only discomfort may come from the noise the machine can make during the process. Our technicians strive to make you as comfortable as possible, and allow you to pick your radio station or play your own music during the scan. The time the scan will take will depend on how many body parts are being scanned. Each body part is usually between 30 to 60 minutes. The more body parts being scanned, the longer it will take to get images of each of these parts of the body.

While an MRI is very important in diagnosis, it may not be the first step in your treatment. Usually treatment will start with simple steps, as to provide the least disruption to your daily life possible. As your treatment moves along, diagnostics will be necessary to understand exactly what is going on inside your body that the naked eye cannot see. Your physician will order an MRI when they feel they need to look further into the diagnostic investigation of your injury or source of pain. This scan will allow your physician to properly diagnose the source of your pain and prescribe the correct treatment program to get you back to feeling like yourself.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding diagnostic imaging at Dominion Orthopaedic Clinic, please contact our office at (770) 455-4009. We are always happy to assist you.