Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive test that uses a magnetic field, radio waves and advanced computer software to produce clear, detailed images of the structure and function of internal organs and tissues.  MRI gives doctors a window into the body unavailable with X-rays and other imaging technologies.

During an MRI examination, the patient lies still on a sliding table which is positioned inside the MRI. Imaging professionals are in an adjacent room but in constant contact via an intercom system.  People with claustrophobia may be offered a sedative to help them relax. Most exams take 15 – 45 minutes, although highly detailed studies may take longer.

MRI is a critical diagnostic tool used to:

• Determine extent of brain injury brought about by trauma or stroke
• Locate internal bleeding
• Assess damage of the head and neck
• Evaluate the heart, aorta, coronary arteries and blood vessels
• Determine the condition of the lungs, liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas and abdomen
• Assess the spine after trauma or to diagnose chronic disease
• Evaluate sports injuries

Since no radiation is involved, MRI is also used to examine the reproductive system, pelvis, hips and bladder.

Risks of MRI:

• Women in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy are advised not to have an MRI unless there is a strong medical need.
• People with metal implants, pacemakers, or who have worked in industrial settings where metal may have become imbedded in their body are not candidates for MRI. Other imaging alternatives are available for these people.

Advanced technologies now available at Rush-Copley:

MRI Breast Imaging

The American Medical Association suggests that women who are known to have the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene, have an MRI of the breast over a traditional mammogram. Breast MRI has been proven to be useful in:

• evaluating a woman who has a palpable mass that isn’t visible with ultrasound or mammography
• assessing a lesion in the densely glandular breast of a young woman
• screening a young woman who is at high risk for cancer because of a significant family history of breast cancer or an abnormal breast cancer gene

MR Cardiac Imaging

Magnetic imaging has become an effective tool to thoroughly examine the chambers of the heart to assess the damage caused by a heart attack and the progression of heart disease. The function of the heart, how well it pumps, the thickness of the chamber walls, whether there is swelling within the lining of the heart, can be examined and understood using MR imaging.