MRI Studies

Some of the latest advancements in imaging have occurred in MRI of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, or “Body MRI.” Tumors sometimes can be classified as benign or malignant solely upon the information provided by MRI.

Body MRI examinations are the most specialized of all MRI applications. All examinations require the patient to lie on his/her back for 30–70 minutes, as still as possible. Many body examinations require the patient to hold his/her breath, repeatedly, for up to 30 seconds.

If you are scheduled for a MRI of the chest, abdomen, or pelvis and have difficulty holding your breath, you should alert the MRI staff upon your arrival. Sometimes, coaching before the examination is successful in achieving an adequate breath-hold for imaging. However, some patients will find that they cannot hold their breath adequately, and an alternate imaging method, such as CAT (CT) scan or ultrasound, may be recommended instead of MRI.

In some cases, the radiologist may determine that the patient must be injected with contrast. This is not a sign that something is wrong, but merely that additional information is required/requested. An examination that requires contrast is not an unpleasant experience. All contrast agents are FDA-approved and have an extremely low incidence of allergic reaction.

Some patients may be injected with Glucagon, a synthetic hormone that reduces motion within the bowel for about 60 minutes. Bowel motion can cause significant blurring of images in the abdomen and pelvis, potentially rendering images useless. The injection is given in the muscles of the arm, much like an immunization. This drug may induce hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in patients approximately 90 minutes after injection, causing some nausea, dizziness, and trembling. Because eating can prevent these symptoms nearly completely, patients are required to eat chocolate, or other forms of sugar, prior to leaving the facility. Patients are also instructed to eat a meal soon after the examination. Diabetics will typically not be given this injection, so please inform the staff if you have this condition.

Almost all imaging of brain and spine involves the patient lying on his/her back for 30–60 minutes. In some cases, the radiologist may determine that the patient must be injected with contrast. This is not a sign that something is wrong, but merely that additional information is required/requested. An examination that requires contrast is not an unpleasant experience. The contrast material has an extremely low incidence of allergic reaction, and most patients do not even notice the injection.

Note: Due to recent internationally accepted evidence that Gadolinium injection is linked to the onset of a rare disease known as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), Wake Radiology adheres to the nationally mandated guidelines set forth by the FDA. We will not utilize Gadolinium for MRI studies on those patients who are at risk of NSF, such as those with documented severe chronic renal insufficiency or dialysis dependence. Those patients may safely have non-contrast MRIs if required clinically.

Almost all imaging of bones or joints involves the patient lying on his/her back for 30–60 minutes. Occasionally, other positions are required to image small joints or special areas. In some cases, the radiologist may determine that the patient must be injected with contrast. This is not a sign that something is wrong, but merely that additional information is required/requested. An examination that requires contrast is not an unpleasant experience. The contrast material has an extremely low incidence of allergic reaction, and most patients do not even notice the injection.

Some special types of joint imaging require “arthrograms,” in which the patient is injected with contrast material inside the joint prior to MR imaging. Patients having these examinations will be instructed to arrive earlier than usual, so that a specially trained musculoskeletal radiologists may be present to administer the contrast into the joint.

When physicians need to see blood vessels, they create images called “angiograms.” Typical angiograms require admission to a hospital for the procedure, but MR angiograms can be performed without risk or hospitalization, in 30–70 minutes depending upon the body part to be imaged.

Patients undergoing MR angiography of any part of the body except the head will receive an injection of contrast material in the vein of an arm. In some cases, a second contrast injection may be required for some parts of the body. An examination that requires contrast is not an unpleasant experience. The contrast material has an extremely low incidence of allergic reaction, and most patients do not even notice the injection. MR angiography of the head (Circle of Willis, COW MRA) can be performed without a contrast injection.

Because very large amounts of data are created during these studies, they can easily have hundreds of images that require hours of manipulation to interpret. Referring physicians will be notified of results as soon as is possible.

MRI is an amazing technology that creates images for a radiologist to interpret from the water in your body. Giant magnets allow your body to receive radio waves and “echo” them back. A computer uses the information within the echoes that bounce back from your body to create images. The images created are unique to a patient, depicting his or her anatomy and any disease that may be present. The whole process is safe and painless. Some patients are so comfortable inside the magnet that they actually fall asleep while this advanced imaging takes place.