When your doctor chooses to order an MRI after an X-ray, it is often because the X-ray didn’t yield enough information, or that one or more suspected problems need further examination of the soft tissues, nerves, or other subtle changes which X-rays cannot detect. Here’s the reasoning, and the implications for your care.
X-ray Limitations
X-rays are the first imaging tool for many conditions, especially when bones are primarily involved in the condition. They are fast, readily available, and excellent for diagnosing bone fractures, dislocations, misalignments, and select tumors and/or infections involving bones. Whether one accepts the risk, X-rays use ionizing radiation which is very low risk, but exposure accumulates. An important limitation of X-rays is that they provide a flat, two-dimensional image of the structures and are extremely limited in visualizing soft tissues such as muscles, tendon, ligaments, nerves, etc. Thus, if a doctor thinks there is an injury or disease of those soft tissues, it may not be apparent in the X-ray, or readily apparent, or detectable at all.
The Benefits of MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses powerful magnets and radio waves to provide phenomenal detail pictures of someone’s internal anatomy in both two and three dimensional formats. Since MRI is not using ionizing radiation (like X-ray imaging), it is certainly advantageous for patients you’re going to have repeated imaging for over their lifetime, and for patients that are in a higher risk category (younger patients or pregnant patients). MRI is an excellent imaging technique useful for providing details about the soft tissue structures of the body (muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, nerves, blood vessels, and even the brain or spinal cord) therefore, MRI is critical to understand and diagnose sports injuries (meniscal and anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) tears, rotator cuff tears), abnormalities to joints, spinal disc issues, neurocompressive syndromes, and certain tumors and cysts.
Reasons for Moving from an X-ray to an MRI
There are a few reasons why a doctor would prefer an MRI after doing an x-ray.
Soft tissue injury: If you have pain or limitation of movement, and the doctor cannot explain why an x-ray does not show what they suspect might be a bone fracture, MRI can show what has occurred in the muscles, tendons or ligaments through inflammation, tears or sprains.
Subtle or complex fractures: There are fractures that are smaller than an x-ray can demonstrate, in addition, a complex fracture, perhaps such as a fracture in your wrist or spine that radiodesists cannot ascertain through an imaging examination.
Joint or spinal problem: Problems such as a herniated disk, injury to the spinal cord or intra articular deformity need precise anatomic detail, hence a 3D MRI image is often required to depict and define an injury.
Nerve & vascular images: The MRI will provide the most accurate image of a nerve or blood vessel; conditions such as nerve compression or vascular malformations need to be examined with MRI as it is the gold standard in imaging.
Chronic or recurrent symptoms: If there are symptoms after treatment, or a chronic history of symptomatology, MRI usually provides better insight on causes that an x-ray may not define.
Practical considerations
MRI is superior to X-ray in this regard: it shows more detail. However, MRI is much more cumbersome than X-ray, much more expensive, and as a test is not as accessible as X-ray. The procedure may take 30–60 minutes, and some patients may feel uncomfortable in the claustrophobic area of the magnets. The very powerful magnetic fields of the MRI machine will also limit the use of certain metallic implants and/or devices for patients.
Conclusion
Your Doctor requested an MRI for further detail after the X-ray in order to gain a more broad thorough assessment of your condition – particularly if you have a soft tissue challenge, nerve challenge, or subtle bone change. Thus, your Doctor is able to narrow in on an important diagnosis in order to provide you appropriate treatment and ultimately improve your health care outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How to survive an MRI when claustrophobic?
The most vital part of a positive MRI experience when you are feeling overwhelming claustrophobia is dealing with the anxiety it causes. You can deal with anxiety through various techniques such as deep breathing, distraction, or getting a friend, family member, or another support person involved to help keep you calm.
Q. How can I book the best MRI scan near me?
You can book an MRI scan near you through the Carebox website at the lowest cost. Where transparency is prioritized and makes scanning affordable for all.
Q. Can you take a break during an MRI
In general, breaks during an MRI are usually possible, if required for comfort or anxiety. If you find yourself needing to pause, an MRI is a team effort, and being in contact with the MRI team is often accomplished with an intercom system or with a “call ball”.
Q. What happens if I am too claustrophobic for an MRI?
If claustrophobia keeps you from doing the MRI, there are options, including using an open MRI machine, sedation or different imaging strategies, such as CT scan. Open MRI machines have a wider diameter and are less confining than normal MRI machines and sedation will reduce your anxiety.
Q. How do I stay calm during an MRI?
You can practice techniques to stay calm during your MRI, such as maintaining an awareness of your breath, closing your eyes and wearing an eye mask.
