When one suffers from spinal cord problems there are actually of 2 types. The problem can either be mechanical or it can be neurological. So, when one sees a doctor to get a remedy for their spinal cord problems the doctor always wants to check the entire medical history of the patient.
That is why; in most cases, they want an MRI to be done on the patient so that it becomes very easy to diagnose the root problem present in the patient’s body. After diagnosing the problem, one can decide the course of treatment and if the patient does not get any relief from medications then they might need to undergo surgery. There are many MRI scan centres in Hyderabad, where a proper and detailed MRI is done.
This scan test is mainly an imaging test which is done to find some problems like:
- Cancer
- Blood vessel damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Multiple sclerosis
- Brain injury
- Blocked blood vessels
- Stroke
When an MRI is recommended for blood vessels and heart, they are mainly done to find if there is any:
- Problems with the structure of the heart.
- Damage caused by a heart attack
- Heart disease
If there is a suggestion for an MRI for bone joints, then it can be for
- Bone infections
- Damage of joints
- Disc problems in the spine
- Bone Cancer
Not only these, but an MRI can be done for other human body organs as well like Liver, Breasts (for women), Ovaries (for women), Kidneys, Pancreas and Prostate (for men). There can be a special kind of MRI conducted to map the brain activity of human activity. This test is mainly done to look at the blood flow in a human brain.
But there are certain conditions that one needs to check when they are prescribed with an MRI test. When one is prescribed to go for an MRI scanning test then one should let their doctor know if they are facing certain conditions like:
- Pregnant at the moment
- Suffering from some kidney problems
- Have a pacemaker
- Suffers from Claustrophobia
- Have some implanted drug infusion device
- Skin Tattoos
- Have artificial heart valves
- Metallic implants and prosthesis
- Exposure of metal fragments to your eye
- Have a vascular stent or stent graph
- Allergy to iodine or gadolinium
- History of diabetes
- Some clips used to treat brain aneurysms
- Cochlear implants
- Certain metal coils placed in blood vessels
When going for this particular test, one needs to leave all the valuable things at home like the jewelry and other important electronic items that one carries on a regular basis. at the same time, the patient needs to bring a list of medicines that they are currently taking and has to submit it to the lab assistant. If one suffers from claustrophobia and they have to go for an MRI then the doctor might prescribe them with some oral medications which they need to intake before they go for the test.
Before going for the MRI test, one has to take some preparations. The patients should take their daily medicines as they do otherwise normally until and unless the doctor asks them to not take any particular medicine before the test. Also, the patient needs to follow some dietary instructions before the test but it may vary from one patient to another.
Before the MRI test is done, the patient is given some contrast dyes. This can either be swallowed as a liquid or it can be injected to the hand or the arm vein of the patient. This contrast dye helps the doctor to see the structures inside the patient’s body very clearly. The dye which is mainly used before the MRI test is known as gadolinium. Once it is injected, it can leave a bit if a metal tastes inside the mouth.
When the dye injection procedure is over the patient is asked to lie on a table which when the test starts to slide inside the MRI machine. There are some straps which are used to hold the patient inside the machine when the test is done. The body can be slid entirely within the machine or some parts can be inside the machine. When the test is under procedure the MRI machine can create a very strong magnetic field in the human body. as a result, the computer takes all the signals sent by the MRI and uses them to create a series of pictures. All those pictures majorly show a thin slice of a human body. one can also get to hear some loud and tapping noise or some thumping sounds during the time of the test which is actually the machine gaining some energy so that it can take pictures from the human body. if one is too irritated by the sound, they can always get some earplugs or earphone plucked in the ear to avoid it. One can also feel a bit of twitching sensation during the test. This happens because the MRI stimulates the nerves in the human body.
In the case of children and infants, the doctor might prescribe a small sedative so that the child remains calm and composed when the test is done. if they move too much, then the imaging is not possible clearly.
There are many best MRI centre in Hyderabad where one can get their tests done and they always follow the proper procedure there. One needs to change their clothes and wear a loose gown so that it becomes easy to take the images when the test is done. a general MRI test mainly takes 30 to 45 minutes to complete and in some cases it can take more than an hour. Once the test results are out one can go and see the doctor again to see what should be the next procedure in the course of treatment.