MRI Side Effects » mri machines

Open Sided MRI Can Help Avoid Side Effects

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:43:38 +0000

Standard magnetic resonating imaging machines are large and have a cavity in its center where your body is placed during the scan. Typical models have very small cavities, which is problematic for people that suffer from claustrophobia. The scan also requires you to lay down for a long period of time without moving, while the loud noise of the machine hums during the procedure. Needless to say, these things can create a very uncomfortable situation, leading to common MRI side effects such as nausea and headaches.

For those that need a scan but are not capable of coping with the technicalities of this process, an alternative you should consider is either an open sided or a stand up MRI. Both are designed to alleviate and prevent any MRI side effects you may encounter.

An open sided MRI, as its name implies, is open sided. You will not have to be engulfed in the belly of the machine during the scan. Instead, you will be sandwiched between the magnets, with one below you and one directly above you. However, you are no longer enclosed because there is open space to the sides of you – more than enough room to stretch your arms out to the sides and move them freely about. Also, there are no parts of the apparatus that will not block light out, so you will have the luxury of doing the scan in a well lit environment.

A stand up model actually acts as an open sided MRI too, with the main difference being that you are either standing up or sitting during the process, instead of lying down the whole time. This can be a double edged sword. Standing or sitting motionless can be more uncomfortable during the long procedure (although its the perfect alternative if you find lying down to be troublesome.) It could also cause more pain for older people or those that have sustained injuries to their joints.

However, standing or sitting the whole time will allow for a better look at your body in a “natural” position. While lying down the whole time, there is minimal stress put on the body. Because of this, some structural anomalies in your body may go unnoticed because they are only felt while in an upright position as you stand or walk. These types of MRIs also allow to capture positional MRI scans, which allows for scans in specific body positions that creates pain.

If you have concerns about undergoing a standard MRI scan, it is definitely worth it to consider an Open sided or Stand up scan to avoid any side effects of an MRI.

Common MRI Side Effects

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:11:47 +0000

Despite the intricacies and complexities of the technology involved in an MRI machine, it is a safe and painless procedure. The test is non invasive and the magnetic fields and radio waves used are not strong enough will not cause permanent damage to your body. As long as you follow the precautions before using an MRI, you will be fine.

However, it is still possible to deal with a few MRI side effects once the procedure is complete. Because there is no physical harm to the patient, the side effects are, for the most part, psychological due to the nature of the MRI scan (it is not as scary as it might sound.)

Concerns During MRI Scan

To scan your body, you are required to lay down on a patient table, which then slides you into the center of the MRI machine. The whole procedure can take about a half an hour, in which you will be flat on your back the whole time. The opening in the chamber where you will be will be quite small. It is probably no greater than 4 feet in diameter. For these reasons, the procedure can cause a lot of discomfort for the patient.

Laying on your back for a prolonged period of time might cause some pain in your back. It could also cause in other areas from lying on an uncomfortable patient table. These issues are temporary, but it is worth noting for those with chronic pain in certain joints or areas.

During the test, you must lie still in the very small cavity of the MRI machine. If you have to undergo a scan that requires your whole body to be placed in the center, those with claustrophobia will have a problem going through with the MRI scan. This is relatively common among people needing an MRI scan, so your radiologist or technician will understand your issue.

Possible solutions are to take medication that will suppress your nerves or just sedate you altogether. The best option is to use an open MRI machine, which will not encase you and avoid your claustrophobia. Other than these two options, if your claustrophobia is not very serious, the next best thing is to close your eyes, take deep breaths and imagine you are on a sunny and peaceful beach.

The MRI machine is quite loud during the scan, so the noise can cause problems. For example, people that suffer from migranes will not be take a liking to the loudness. Common MRI side effects include:

Headaches
Dizziness
Sweating
Nausea
Fatigue

Fortunately, these symptoms are temporary, mostly caused by discomfort. Again, tell your doctor about any concerns you may have to avoid these side effects and make the process as easy as possible.

Understanding MRI Machines

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:50:28 +0000

What Is An MRI?

MRI, or magnetic resonating imaging, is a non invasive method of medical imaging. It utilizes very strong magnetic fields to provide a very detailed image of the internal structure of your body. In existence for over 30 years now, MRI technology has evolved rapidly and has completely transformed the field of medical imaging.

Magnetic resonating imaging is relatively new compared to other medical imaging methods. The method that is most comparable to MRI scanning is a CT scan, or computed tomography. Similarly, a CT scan can also create detailed images of the tissue inside your body, and it will do it much quicker than an MRI. However, it has its drawbacks as well. A CT scan uses x-rays and radiation to scan your body, which are a potential hazard to your health. It also cannot take as detailed pictures of the soft tissue in your body.

An MRI machine works by using very powerful magnetic fields to align the hydrogen atoms in all the water molecules that make up your body. The strength of this magnetic field can be up to 3 teslas, which is about 60,000 times stonger than the earth’s magnetic field at its surface! A separate radio frequency electromagnetic field is then applied to excite those hydrogen atoms and slightly change their orientation. When this happens, a signal is created. Depending on the type of tissue in the body, the atoms will be excited at different rates and create different signals. These signals are detected to form a very nice picture of the inside of your body.

MRI scanners are very big machines. They are cylindrical with an opening in the middle of it for the patient to be scanned. There is a table that the patient lies down on and you have to be pushed into the center. This opening is relatively small and can be very uncomfortable for “large” individuals or people with claustrophobia.

MRI Safety

Generally speaking, there is little to worry as far as MRI side effects go. The procedure is safe and does not hurt. However, there are many precautions that must be taken beforehand to ensure that nothing goes wrong. And, there are some side effects of an MRI that you should know about, which will be discussed on this site.