How To Take An MRI !!!

[MegalosSkylaki]

I originally wrote this as a reply to Bil in SD but my Puter crashed, and with da CaaT typing I figured there was a broader audience for this. I've had about 15 of them and worked where they were used.

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The secret to taking an MRI is preparation. Lie in bed and begin by tensing first your toe muscles and keep tensing your muscles until you reach your scalp. Then begin to relax yourself by reversing the procedure until all the muscles are relaxed. Think of a very pleasant scene. This is important beccause you will use this in the MRI too.

Practice lying perfectly still for 45 minutes, which is longer than most MRIs are while relaxed. The day of the test when you are in the MRI tube, if you find yourself growing uneasy or panicky, ask yourself "what is the difference between lying in the tube and lying in bed perfectly still?" Also think of your relaxing scene. Visualize it. This will help you get past rough moments.

Both the Siemens and GE MRI machines come equipped with a panic button which allows you to stop the procedure at any time. It has been demonstrated that having a panic button available makes it less likely that you'll panic. Remember you are not in an MRI machine unless you are strongly motivated to be so. The idea is to restore the sense of loss of control while in the tube. And of course you have your own personal relaxing visual scene to help you out.

[MegalosSkylaki]

MRIs are better than CT scans for soft tissue such as the spinal cord or the thecal sac that encloses it. CT scans are better for hard tissue such as the vertebral bodies and fibrous discs. Since the MRI will resolve both hard and soft, it is often the study of choice.

MRI machines, whether conventional tubes or open field, work by placing your body in a strong magnetic field which causes the protons to vibrate and emit. There are no x-rays used, unlike CT scans.

A conventional tube is 1.5 Tesla nowadays or about 15x stronger than a 0.1 Tesla open field. There is little advantage in an open field for the claustrophobic because your face is still about an inch or two from the machine. They are mainly used for people who are physically too big to get into a tube.

The image produced by a conventional tube MRI is of much better resolution than that of a open field which have sometimes been described as "muddy" or "taking a picture under water".

If you use your relaxation technique, your practice techniques -- and holding onto a panic button -- you should be able to tolerate a regular tube MRI.

[shahani]

Good info.

What happened to your PC?

Can I help? If you allow me and epidemic remote access to your hard drive, we can go ahead and fix it.

[MegalosSkylaki]

On the day of the MRI, bring warm clothing with you as it is cold and noisy inside the tube. Sweats are best. Ask for earplugs if they do not provide you with them. Ask for the panic button if the MRI tech does not offer it And remember the mantra, "Beeg DooG, Beeg Doog". With these techniques you too can master the Art of Taking an MRI.


B G

[And thank the cat for typing all this]

[Bill in SD, CA]

Where were you when I needed you?



Bill

[Angela]

There are open air MRI machines now--there is at least one place in San Diego that uses them.

[MegalosSkylaki]

I was taking an EMG (Electromyologram) --Upperand Lower extremeties, where they stick needles into sore muscles (in other words all) and shoot them with electricity to make them spasm and measure the nerve conduction and make you into a pincushion. I did both exams so as to get it over with and spent several hours getting blitzed !

Where were you when the electricity came !

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOO !

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG

[MegalosSkylaki]

Dear Angela,

Read above re: Open Field (I've taken two) vs. Conventional. Open Field are open on one side to slide you in. For the spine you don't see a darn thing.

DOOOOG