If you are someone who loves watching medical-based dramas, you will undoubtedly have heard of the MRI machine.
An MRI machine (or magnetic resonance imaging) uses a magnetic field to view the inside of the body and breaks down the area that it is focused on into slices to allow medical practitioners to get a clear view of that body part. Sounds simple, right?
Well, sadly, many people have concerns about using an MRI machine, even when it comes to medical care. Some people are claustrophobic, others have concerns about the noise of the machine, and some have concerns that it may even cause cancer.
However, if you are advised to have an MRI, there are many advantages of doing so, which will be explored further in this article.
High Level Of Detail
MRI scans provide detailed images of internal organs, bones, and soft tissues, which can help to detect small abnormalities or injuries that may not be visible on other imaging tests, such as X-rays or CT scans.
So, if your doctors or specialist suspects that you may have a very small tumor or growth anywhere in your body, an MRI scan has a better chance of picking it up. If you need an MRI quickly, it is worth exploring the options that surround Express MRI.
No Ionizing Radiation
Unlike X-rays or CT scans, MRI scans do not use ionizing radiation, which means there is no risk of radiation exposure. Interestingly, you are more likely to develop secondary complications from undertaking multiple X-rays than you are from having MRIs.
As mentioned before, many people have concerns that having multiple MRIs can cause cancerous growths to form, but as the MRI machine is based entirely around magnets, it is not at all risky.
Multi-Purpose
If you have ever had a broken bone, or a suspected broken bone, you will have had to have an X-ray to diagnose it. However, aside from this, X-rays are not very good at looking at other parts of the body to pick out issues. MRI scans can be used to examine many different parts of the body, including the brain, spinal cord, joints, breasts, and organs, making it a versatile diagnostic tool.
They Can Help Specialized Groups
Also, unlike many diagnostic tools, MRIs can be used in special populations. An MRI is safe for people with metal implants and can be used to image pregnant women and their fetuses. It can even be used to diagnose issues with titanium implants anywhere in the body, as they are non-magnetic.
Provide Functional & Metabolic Information
An MRI scan can provide functional information, like blood flow and oxygenation, tissue perfusion, and metabolic information like glucose uptake.
If you have ever seen a famous medical show based around a doctor with a limp, you will probably be aware that his leg infarction was diagnosed via an MRI scan. This is because an MRI can show issues with blood flow and oxygenation, as well as highlight the clot or aneurysm that caused it. So, they are extremely sophisticated machines that can provide more information than most people think.
