Modern medicine, even compared with several years earlier, has gone far ahead. Many new diagnostic methods have appeared that allow you to quickly and practically accurately diagnose. One of these is MRI. Such a diagnosis is prescribed for many pathologies and conditions, in particular for suspected brain diseases. What is an MRI of the brain, how is the procedure going and whether it is necessary to prepare for it, we will consider in this article.
What is an MRI?
MRI is the latest research method, which is able to recognize the slightest changes in the structure of the studied organs, to identify not only the pathology in the structure, but also to identify any disease at the very beginning of its development.
The MRI procedure is carried out on the basis of the work of a magnet, which is the main part of the apparatus of the tomograph. The operation of the device is based on a physical phenomenon called magnetic resonance. Any substance studied is distinguished by its characteristic structure, which ensures the receipt of signals as a result of magnetic resonance.
The amplitude of the traveling signals is a quantitative characteristic of the analysis of information that is obtained as a result of scanning. Each section of the organ under study has its own value, which indicates the frequency of nuclear magnetic resonance. It is converted into a computer tomogram, fixing the layered sections of the structure of the organ under study.
The device is based on the action of magnetic fields, which do not pose a threat to human health. The innovative method allows you to obtain by scanning several images in different projections. All images with a high degree of resolution are necessarily recorded on electronic media. After a thorough study, the doctor gives a conclusion.
When is the brain MRI procedure indicated?
The attending physician will certainly refer the patient to the brain MRI procedure if there is a suspicion of pathology or the presence of the disease itself. MRI allows you to recognize the following diseases:
- Stroke.
- Hydrocephalus.
- Congenital malformations of the brain.
- Cyst.
- Various neoplasms in the brain.
- Infectious brain pathologies.
- Epilepsy.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Diseases of the pituitary gland.
- Hemorrhage in various parts of the brain.
- Aneurysm.
- Arterial obstruction.
- Venous thrombosis.
- Diseases of the eyes and organ of hearing.
Specialists will send the patient to an MRI scan if it is necessary to identify brain disorders that cause confusion or memory problems.
Preparation for the procedure
Consider an MRI of the brain. How is the procedure going? First you need to find out if you need preparation for the study. As a rule, special events are not necessary, the main thing is to observe some rules:
- Take off all metal objects, such as hairpins, earrings, chains, magnetic cards, because they can affect the quality of the pictures.
- If there are implants in the body, then the radiologist should be warned about this.
- Before the procedure, you do not have to cancel taking medications, this does not affect the effectiveness of the study.
- If you ask how the MRI of the brain is done with contrast, the doctor will warn that before the procedure the last meal was no earlier than 6 hours. The same should be followed if anesthesia is required.
- Going to the procedure, do not take alcohol for courage. Alcohol has a significant effect on metabolic processes in the brain, so the results may not be entirely reliable.
Who is not allowed to enter the scan area?
If there is a metal implant in the body, then the procedure is not prohibited, except in some cases:
- When a patient has a pacemaker or defibrillator.
- In the presence of ear implants.
- In the presence of certain varieties of metal spirals in vessels.
- Clips for aneurysm.
Be sure to inform the technologist about the availability of electronic or other medical devices. Some of them may be a potential hazard during the study. These devices include:
- Artificial heart valves.
- Joint prostheses.
- Nerve stimulants.
- Surgical staples, plates, pins.
Items made of metal used in orthopedic practice are usually not dangerous, but if the prosthesis was installed recently, it is worth informing the doctor. He will tell how brain MRI is done for adults.
How is the procedure going?
This study can be assigned to inpatients as well as outpatients. In addition, you can get a referral from your local doctor for an MRI of the brain, he will also explain how the procedure goes. After the patient crosses the threshold of the scan area, he expects the following:
- The patient will be asked to lie down on the table for scanning. During the procedure, it is important to remain stationary, so do not be surprised if the doctor uses belts or rollers.
- Around the studied part of the body are coils and devices that send and receive radio waves.
- MRI of the brain how is it performed? The photo below shows this. The device is located around the head. The doctor will warn you to lie still.
- For some, it is not clear how to do an MRI of the brain with contrast. But there is nothing complicated, just before the examination, the nurse will put a dropper into a vein to administer a special drug.
- After all preparations, the patient goes to the very heart of the installation, where the magnet is located.
- The doctor and nurse leave the room, and the scanning process begins.
- After completing the study, the radiologist will check the image quality, in some cases, additional scanning may be necessary.
- If a contrast agent was used, then the dropper is removed and the patient can leave the scan area.
Duration of the procedure
If MRI of the brain is prescribed, how does the procedure go in time, it is always of interest to the patient, especially in the presence of fear of confined space. The duration of the study will depend on the goals that the doctor faces, as well as on the scanning method.
When brain structures are visualized as usual, 45 minutes is enough. A study using a contrast medium will last 15 minutes longer.
Now the latest generation of tomographs has appeared, and the procedure (as the MRI of the brain does, the photo shows) will be different, it takes no more than 15 minutes. These are the abilities of modern equipment.
MRI procedure
After placing the patient on a pull-out table and carrying out all preparatory procedures, the scanning process begins. To get clear pictures, the most important thing is to be motionless all the time. This is sometimes problematic for an adult, but what can we say about young children. Therefore, parents should know how to do brain MRI for children under general anesthesia.
During the procedure, the device may make a noise and buzz a little, which may make some patients nervous. All the nuances are discussed before the start of the study, so that you do not have to do an MRI of the brain again. How the procedure goes, explains the nurse or doctor. If necessary, you will have to do anesthesia. Usually, an indication to it is not only children's age, but also the following conditions:
- Panic attacks.
- Mental disorders.
- Propensity for antisocial behavior.
- Severe pain that prevents the patient from lying still.
The scanning procedure will take some time, but at the same time in the next room the doctor monitors the process and analyzes the received images. Based on the results, the radiologist makes a conclusion and sends the patient to the attending physician with him.
Sensations during an MRI of the brain
How the procedure goes, the photo shows, but what kind of sensations do the patients experience? For most people, the study goes completely painlessly, but there are those that note some discomfort or fear of confined space.
Sometimes when performing a scan, you may feel warmth, if this fact starts to bother you, you should inform your doctor. The main thing is to remain still so that the image is not distorted. Some types of research require holding your breath for a short time, do not be afraid of this. The patient, being in the camera, may even feel that the image is taken, the device makes knocking sounds.
During the examination procedure, the patient is alone in the room, but he has the opportunity to communicate with the technologist using a two-way communication. Sometimes the doctor allows parents to stay in the scan area if the procedure is performed on a child. To reduce the noise from the device, you can ask for earplugs.
Inside the device is well lit and ventilated, so in complete darkness and without access to air there is no risk. Some scanners are even equipped with music, it remains to lie still and enjoy.
If the study is carried out using a contrast medium, then during its administration you can feel:
- The sensation of a rush of blood, but in just a couple of minutes everything normalizes.
- Nausea.
- Pain at the injection site.
- Some may have an allergic reaction to the substance used in the form of itching or hives. It is necessary to inform the doctor, and the necessary measures will be taken immediately.
What are the features of MRI in children?
If such an examination is necessary for infants, then magnetically compatible incubators are used. Finding a baby in such a device does not threaten troubles for his health. The use of a tomograph with a voltage of only 1.5 Tesla allows you to get high-quality images, which is important for making an accurate diagnosis.
The child is prescribed a procedure in the following cases:
- To identify disorders in the structures of the brain.
- To detect lesions.
- Tumor recognition.
- For the study of cerebral vessels.
- If you want to study the condition of the ventricles and sinuses of the brain.
Most organs of the child’s body can be examined on an open type tomograph, which makes the procedure more comfortable for the child. But an MRI of the brain is performed only in a closed device, so it is important to ensure a stationary position.
Carrying out the procedure for children
If the child understands the whole essence of the procedure and is not afraid, then he is placed on a pull-out table and sent to the camera of the device for scanning. Previously presented and show how to do an MRI of the brain, photo. And how much time it takes has already been said. In babies, this procedure also takes from 30 to 45 minutes.
It is almost impossible for a baby to be immobilized, so anesthesia may be required. After the procedure, the child remains under observation until this condition is completely exited. Parents do not have to worry, completely safe drugs are used for children. If you need to use the drug to improve image quality, the doctor will explain how to do brain MRI with contrast to children. The main thing is that the child does not have an allergic reaction to the substance used.
Parents should understand that MRI is almost the most reliable method of research, and the accuracy of the diagnosis plays a big role in the treatment of the child, so do not be afraid of this procedure.
Benefits of MRI
This study is not only a method that allows you to make a 100% accurate diagnosis. It has many more advantages:
- No exposure to radiation.
- Scanning results in clear images.
- The method allows you to detect pathologies that were not recognized by other studies.
- A contrast agent rarely causes allergic reactions, unlike those used in radiography.
- The study allows you to detect stroke at an early stage, which gives great advantages in choosing a treatment method.
Conclusion
Any disease is much easier to cure if it is detected at an early stage of development. Among a large number of diagnostic methods, not everyone can boast such safety and quality as MRI. Do not be afraid of the procedure, before visiting the scan area, the doctor will tell you in detail about how the procedure is performed and what the patient can feel. The patient is only required to lie still for about 40 minutes, but for an adult, should this be a problem? A correctly diagnosed diagnosis, and in a timely manner, is already half the success on the path to recovery.