A modern diagnostic method is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With the help of such a study, you can identify a number of diseases and begin timely, proper treatment. One of the most popular types of such diagnosis is MRI of the spine. This is a common procedure that an orthopedist prescribes for his patients. How do MRI of the spine? Features of the procedure, indications and contraindications to its implementation will be discussed further.
Features of the procedure
MRI is a modern examination method that allows you to diagnose many different diseases. Previously, doctors prescribed computed tomography (CT) or radiography to their patients. Both of these methods are not able to provide the necessary information about the development of the inflammatory process, some abnormal changes, like MRI.
Modern diagnostics allows you to carefully scan the human body. How do MRI of the spine? The basis of this method is the use of a magnetic field. Thanks to the protons that pass through the tissues of the body, it is possible to determine the presence of certain deviations. This involves the force of the magnetic field and pulses. There are protons in every biological compound. Passing through the tissue, these particles change their direction. This allows you to track internal changes in the body.
The tomograph captures the energy that is produced when protons move. Information is transmitted to a computer. The technique processes it and displays an image on the monitor screen. This is the basic principle of the MRI procedure. In the course of its implementation, different equipment is used.
Some patients are interested in whether spinal MRI is done in children who are pregnant. For some people, CT is a forbidden procedure. To answer this question, you need to consider this type of examination in detail. For its conduct, open and closed tomographs can be used. The first option is more functional. It allows examination to children, people with large body weights, as well as patients who suffer from claustrophobia.
Survey opportunities
How do MRI of the lumbar spine and its other parts? The magnetic field of the tomograph is measured in Tesla. Depending on this indicator, there are several types of diagnostic equipment. They can be ultra-low (0.1 T), medium (0.5-1 T), low (0.1-0.5 T), high (1-2 T) or ultra-high (more than 2 T). Before you sign up for a procedure, you must consult a doctor, the use of what type of tomograph is permissible in this disease.
In some cases, a simple scan of the body is not enough to get a complete picture of the state of internal organs and systems. If you need to diagnose cancer, the presence of metastases, multiple sclerosis, a contrast agent is injected into the vessels. This method is also used after removal of the intervertebral hernia.
Pictures taken using a contrast medium provide an accurate picture of the course of a disease. In this case, the doctor will be able to assess the affected area, its size. These drugs are safe. But there are a number of contraindications to their use.
Who prescribes MRI?
Considering how to do an MRI of the lumbosacral spine, as well as its other areas, it is worth noting that the procedure is prescribed by an orthopedist, neurologist, vertebrologist. With the help of such a diagnosis, it turns out to examine the vessels, intervertebral discs, nerve trunks, as well as substances of the spinal cord. The result is presented as accurate layered images or 3D images. This method allows you to identify the ailment at the earliest stage of its development.
MRI is now considered one of the safest methods. It is completely painless. There is a minimum of contraindications for such an examination. With the help of MRI, the doctor can well examine the structure of the intervertebral discs, vertebrae. In this case, you can track the development of inflammatory processes, hernias, fractures, fissures, as well as pinching of the nerves. The information content of this approach remains invaluable. Other diagnostic methods are not able to give such an accurate result.
Indications
Many patients are interested in whether MRI of the spine is done during pregnancy and lactation, as well as in children and in the presence of certain diseases. To understand this, you need to consider in detail the list of indications and contraindications for the procedure.
The doctor prescribes an MRI of the spine in cases of suspected a number of diseases. These can be congenital malformations or injuries of the spinal column. Also, with suspected development of an intervertebral hernia, this method will be the most informative. MRI allows you to accurately determine whether there are tumors, neoplasms and metastases in the spinal area. Using this diagnostic method, it is possible to establish whether there are inflammatory processes, infectious diseases, osteomyelitis in the tissues. MRI can detect vascular disorders. They can develop due to insufficient circulation in the vertebrae.
In demyelinating diseases, this diagnostic method is also prescribed. If you experience headaches, as well as discomfort in the back of an unclear nature, your doctor may order an MRI.
Can I do an MRI of the spine during pregnancy? This condition is not a contraindication to the procedure. Research in this area has not been conducted enough to accurately determine the effects of magnetic resonance on the body of a woman and her child. However, over the 30-year history of MRI, there has been no evidence that the procedure has harmed the mother or the fetus.
Doctors prescribe the procedure to pregnant women with caution. They recommend holding it in the second and third trimester for special indications. However, in case of emergency MRI can be performed in the first trimester of pregnancy. This procedure, unlike CT and radiography, does not affect the development of the fetus and the condition of the mother. During pregnancy, exposure to the body by x-rays is prohibited.
Contraindications
Considering how to do an MRI of the cervical spine, as well as its other areas, a number of contraindications to this procedure should be noted. They can be absolute or relative. The first category includes factors that make the procedure impossible for the patient.
Absolute contraindications include the presence of pacemakers and magnetic implants in the body. Any electronic devices in the body do not allow such a procedure. Clips superimposed on the vessels do not allow the patient to have an MRI.
Relative contraindications do not completely prohibit the procedure. They note that it will be necessary to carry out it with caution or in certain conditions. Sometimes this requires a tomograph of a special design. In some cases, the patient will need to be properly prepared.
A relative contraindication is the patient's weight of more than 130 kg. Most tomographs are not designed for that weight. However, in some private clinics there is equipment that allows you to do an MRI of a patient weighing up to 200 kg.
How often can you do an MRI of the spine? If there are no contraindications, then the procedure is prescribed without restrictions. However, there are a number of patients for whom frequent use of the technique is unacceptable. For example, these are people who are allergic to drugs for internal injection. They are used to track changes in blood vessels. Also, this procedure is often not prescribed to patients who cannot be in a supine position for a long time without movement. It can be people with nervous diseases or small children. For such patients, the procedure is carried out only under general anesthesia.
A relative contraindication may be the presence in the body of metal fragments, dentures on a metal base. Claustrophobia and severe heart failure also become an obstacle to MRI.
How to get tested?
Where do spine MRIs do? This procedure can now be completed in many private and public clinics. You can examine the entire spine or only its one department (sacral, cervical, lumbar, thoracic, etc.). If necessary, the procedure is carried out with or without contrast. In the first case, a special substance is injected into the vessels, which well shows the blood flow through the veins, arteries and capillaries.
Contrasting types of diagnosis are especially valuable in determining oncological ailments. Drugs based on gadolinium salts are introduced into the patient's body. These are safe, effective formulations. They are the least toxic, therefore, such a procedure is safe for the human body. Before starting the procedure, a test is made for the presence of allergic reactions. They appear very rarely, but caution should always be exercised.
How do MRI of the spine in different clinics? Sometimes it is necessary to conduct an examination of the entire spinal column. In this case, the cost of the procedure will be higher. If it is required to examine one or two departments, the price accordingly decreases. With the introduction of a contrast agent, the procedure will cost more.
Survey price
Experts say that the cost of MRI in different clinics can vary significantly. The better the equipment, the more expensive the procedure. The result of the examination also depends on this. The better the image, the more details the doctor will see.
If you need to examine one part of the spine, you will need to pay about 4.5 thousand rubles. When examining the entire spine, an image of the chest, mammary glands, and abdominal cavity is also obtained. Such an examination costs an average of about 12 thousand rubles. In Moscow, the most popular clinics are MRI 24, Invitro, Medexpert, etc.
How is the procedure carried out?
How do MRI of the lumbar spine, cervical, thoracic or other parts of it? The procedure is absolutely painless. It does not require special training. When the patient enters the examination room, he will be asked to remove all metal objects. Earrings, chains, rings, etc. should not remain on the body.
If a person has a pacemaker, you should inform your doctor about this. Such objects violate the magnetic field. In this case, the examination will be uninformative. There should be no pins in the teeth, no metal plates in the body, etc.
When the patient removes all metal objects, he is asked to lie on the movable table of the tomograph. The body is fixed with straps. Movement during the procedure is unacceptable. Depending on which area is examined using MRI, rollers may be placed under the patient.
Medical staff leave the room in which the tomograph is installed. The doctor moves to a separate room where computer equipment is installed. Many patients are interested in how much MRI of the spine is done. This procedure can take from 5 to 30 minutes.
The tomograph in the process of noise, makes various sounds similar to clicks. This is normal. Do not be afraid. For communication with medical personnel, a special microphone is built into the equipment. You can tell your doctor about your condition worsening. In this case, the procedure will be interrupted.
The result of the examination is usually issued on the same day. A few minutes after the examination, the patient receives a medical report, which he can pass on to his doctor.
Advantages of the technique
Considering how to do an MRI of the spine (lumbosacral, cervical, thoracic and other departments), you should also pay attention to the advantages and disadvantages of the method. It belongs to the category of non-invasive. During the examination, the body is not exposed to harmful x-rays. Therefore, it is safe.
The scope of such a diagnosis is wide. It is prescribed for children, pregnant and lactating women. The image produced by the tomograph visualizes the condition of the soft and bone tissues. Moreover, the image is three-dimensional. This greatly enhances the diagnostic value of the study. You can get accurate data on the localization and size of tumors, metastases, inflammatory processes, damage. The condition of the spinal cord and blood vessels is also clearly visible. The contrast agent that is used in some types of examination is safe for humans. It is used for both adults and children.
Answering the question of how often an MRI of the spine is done, it is worth noting that it is performed as necessary. Since the equipment does not have a harmful effect on the body, it can be done quite often, unlike radiography and CT.
Negative qualities of the method
Studying how to do MRI of the sacral spine, as well as its other parts, it should be noted a number of negative qualities of the procedure. You need to familiarize yourself with them before visiting a medical institution. First of all, patients note the high cost of the procedure. The larger the examination, the more expensive it will cost the patient. In a state clinic, the price of MRI remains acceptable for most residents of our country. However, you will need to make an appointment and wait a long time for your turn. For patients with suspected oncology or other serious illness, procrastination is unacceptable.
The disadvantage of diagnosis is the fact that a person is in a supine position for a long time. It is not comfortable. And it’s unrealistic for young children to lie down - it’s hard for them to stay motionless even for 5 minutes. Therefore, such patients can only have MRI under general anesthesia.
With various mental disorders, epilepsy, this method also cannot be used for diagnostic purposes. Discomfort during the procedure can be severe. This causes a lot of complications. In renal failure or allergies, contrast diagnosis is not possible.
Having examined how the MRI of the spine is done, it can be noted that this is one of the most modern and informative diagnostic methods. Such a result is not able to provide other surveys. A small list of contraindications makes the procedure available to most patients.