mri?

Hello i was wondering if anyone could help me.
I have been having lower back problems for 2 years now and i have been sent to have a lower back x-ray and an mri. I have never really heard of mri before so was wondering what they look for with this equipment. Would they look at the bones in my spine or would that be left for the x-ray.
Thanks x

Reply 1

silverfish

OP

2

thanks for the info and website - from looking at this im guessing they are looking at every possible thing that could be causing the pain and not one, is this right?

Reply 2

r_raghav11

1

silverfish

Hello i was wondering if anyone could help me.
I have been having lower back problems for 2 years now and i have been sent to have a lower back x-ray and an mri. I have never really heard of mri before so was wondering what they look for with this equipment. Would they look at the bones in my spine or would that be left for the x-ray.
Thanks x

its called Magnetic resonance imaging. To state it simply ....it can show tissues in ur body whereas the x-ray can only show bones. By changing the timing of the radiowave pulses it is possible to gain information about the different types of tissues that are present. An MRI scan is also able to provide clear pictures of parts of the body that are surrounded by bone tissue, so the technique is useful when examining the brain and spinal cord. So that explains why u have been asked to undergo one. Now u may ask wats the diff frm a CT scan. Well the MRI scan can take the imaging from any angle whereas the CT can show pics only horizontally. Hope that puts at ease. May i ask...wat sort of a back problem?? and this is because of ?

Reply 3

r_raghav11

1

silverfish

thanks for the info and website - from looking at this im guessing they are looking at every possible thing that could be causing the pain and not one, is this right?

they are basically looking to track down abnormal tissue cultures, anything that may be odd. If u take an x-ray and compare it to an MRI u will notice that the tissues are visible in an MRI. One can easily detect any and evry abnormal development through that. Learnt Bio-Med Instrumentation in my final sem and i hope i was of help!

Reply 4

Hoofbeat

14

I had an MRI Scan on my wrist a couple of years back as they couldn't find anything wrong with my bones (all my x-rays were clear but I had the pain and limited movement as though I'd broken my wrist) and wanted to look at soft tissue/muscle damage. Like the others said you basically lie inside the machine while they take images. I was allowed to take a CD along with me as inbetween them taking images you have to lie there for long periods of time and they played my music into me so I didnt get too bored or fall asleep (I had to lie in a very awkward position so they could take images of my wrist and it was so comfortable I could never have fallen asleep! lol). Expect it to be very noisy when they actually take the images, but the noise only lasts a couple of minutes at a time (the guy with me use to say, don't worry only 30seconds left!). It's a completely painless proceedure and gives you an excuse to lie down and relax for a while.

On a random note, you can't wear anything that contains any small amount of metal (that includes bras) and you'll be asked hundreds of random questions including "have you ever had any shrapnel in ur eye?". lol

Reply 5

SamTheMan

17

I think that an MRI does the imagining in 3D too... but I might be mistaken.

I got one of my neck after an accident. It's quite a weird experience as you're stuck in a tunnel on your back for about 30 mins. They gave me some music to listen to.

They also sent me a bill for 2000 pound a couple of weeks later :eek:

Reply 6

SirPimpsALittle

Hoofbeat

you'll be asked hundreds of random questions including "have you ever had any shrapnel in ur eye?". lol

Actually, that's a very serious question. One of the welders I worked with had to get an MRI, and he happened to have a piece of metal in his eye. When they did the scan, it scraped across his eye. Luckily the eye doctor was able to fix it, but it was scary and painful nonetheless.

Reply 7

Helenia

20

SamTheMan

I think that an MRI does the imagining in 3D too... but I might be mistaken.

I got one of my neck after an accident. It's quite a weird experience as you're stuck in a tunnel on your back for about 30 mins. They gave me some music to listen to.

They also sent me a bill for 2000 pound a couple of weeks later :eek:

There is computer technology that can now do that - it can provide 3D models of various organs etc. It's bloody awesome.

On a lighter note, a couple of Dutch doctors decided to have sex in an MRI scanner and have pictures taken during the act to see what actually happened at orgasm etc. Educational or just medical porn?

Reply 8

RetiredAccount89

18

SirPimpsALittle

Actually, that's a very serious question. One of the welders I worked with had to get an MRI, and he happened to have a piece of metal in his eye. When they did the scan, it scraped across his eye. Luckily the eye doctor was able to fix it, but it was scary and painful nonetheless.

wow, i was reading a case jsut the other day of a welder with piece of metal in eye.
got x-ray pic of it and everything

mri is very bad if you have metal in you. if it doesn't move then it WILL get hot...

Reply 9

RetiredAccount89

18

MRI - VERY tight tunnel, very claustrophobic (such that over 20% people can't tolerate it). you have to lie flat (which some can't tolerate again), and its very noisey - like roadworks.
other than that its painless and you just lie there as still as possible. it certainly is the best thing for spinal cord check.

Reply 10

nabzp

1

It is vvvv claustrophobic and it gets stuffy. Thankfully it doesn't last that long. I suggest shutting your eyes.

Reply 11

silverfish

OP

2

nabzp

It is vvvv claustrophobic and it gets stuffy. Thankfully it doesn't last that long. I suggest shutting your eyes.

thanks for the tip. Unluckily for me i am quite claustophobic so i will shut my eyes x

Reply 12

silverfish

OP

2

Hoofbeat

On a random note, you can't wear anything that contains any small amount of metal (that includes bras)

omg i never even thought about that... all my bras are underwired. oh well will just have to let it all hang low for a while lol.

Reply 13

silverfish

OP

2

r_raghav11

May i ask...wat sort of a back problem?? and this is because of ?

Its just lower back pain and pain ontop of my hip which started 2 years ago but had never cleared and i havent a clue what started it. My physio said it might be something like falling over which might of caused a slip disk or something which is probably in my case as i always used to fall over or fall down the stairs -- my clumbsy stage.

Reply 14

Six Dinners Sid

Have you seen the horror film called 'The Spinetingler'? Classic

Reply 15

Leisure17

8

You take off anything that contains metal: clothes, piercings, watches (they brake anyway in the room - magnetic field).
I've had 2 MRIs done -wrist and total spine and I must say, I fell asleep both times, even though you have these banging noises. But since they are rhythmic I find they sort of put you into trance the only thing is that the noise changes after a few minutes, usually just when you have got used to it.
One other thing: a CT basicly works with x-rays which gives you large doses if you take pics of the spine (bones). MRI has no such harmfull rays (magnet). As said above MRI shows soft tissue much better, x-rays are better for hard "tissue" such as bones. So looking at the ligaments or discs or spinal cord you need an MRI.

Reply 16

Hoofbeat

14

silverfish

omg i never even thought about that... all my bras are underwired. oh well will just have to let it all hang low for a while lol.

Yeah you can't even wear non-underwired as the metal in the hooks at the back could still become magnetised! So be careful what top you wear! hehe!

Reply 17

silverfish

OP

2

Hoofbeat

Yeah you can't even wear non-underwired as the metal in the hooks at the back could still become magnetised! So be careful what top you wear! hehe!

or not wear which might have to be the case lol

Reply 18

RetiredAccount89

18

silverfish

thanks for the tip. Unluckily for me i am quite claustophobic so i will shut my eyes x

I'm feeling particularly evil tonight what with the no sleep, and hours of work ahead of me, so heres my most barstady titbit.

Have you ever noticed that when you really can't scratch your nose it really itches? Like when you're at the hairdresser and abit of hair is just on your nose, tickling it. you want to scratch it, ohhhhhh how you want to.
Or when you're in an mri machine and its tickling so bad, but you can't move. you can't move anywhere. And don't sneeze for the love of god or you'll break your nose on the huge metal sheet 1cm away from your face...

Ahhh the power of suggestion is a funny thing....
:p:

Reply 19

silverfish

OP

2

Jamie

I'm feeling particularly evil tonight what with the no sleep, and hours of work ahead of me, so heres my most barstady titbit.

Have you ever noticed that when you really can't scratch your nose it really itches? Like when you're at the hairdresser and abit of hair is just on your nose, tickling it. you want to scratch it, ohhhhhh how you want to.
Or when you're in an mri machine and its tickling so bad, but you can't move. you can't move anywhere. And don't sneeze for the love of god or you'll break your nose on the huge metal sheet 1cm away from your face...
Ahhh the power of suggestion is a funny thing....
:p:

ha ha thanks, wait....its that close!
I can see myself wanting an itch or something becuase my body does to opposite to what anyone says. I was having this thing done at the dentist and he said dont swallow...he told me off about 1 second later

mri?

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