MRI of the entire spine has the maximum duration Magnetic resonance imaging is a high-tech diagnostic method that is used to visualize not only the vertebrae, but also the surrounding soft tissue. How long an MRI of the spine is done depends on various factors, for example, the number of sections being examined. The described method uses a magnetic field to construct images, which excites hydrogen atoms. The intensity of the return signal depends on whether the area of the body is saturated with water. The computer analyzes the information. The doctor receives the image and makes a conclusion.
MRI is an informative examination of organs and tissues, since the thickness of the sections starts from 1 mm. During the MRI procedure of the spine, the doctor evaluates:
- bone structures, including joints;
- intervertebral discs;
- ligamentous apparatus;
- muscles;
- spinal cord and its membranes;
- nerve roots;
- vessels.
The high resolution of MRI when studying the spine makes the process of making a correct diagnosis easier. The doctor will be able to understand the situation and begin treatment.
The doctor will prescribe an MRI of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or all regions simultaneously in the following situations:
- history of back injuries;
- protrusion and herniation of intervertebral discs;
- anomalies in the structure of the axial skeleton;
- suspicion of an inflammatory process (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc.)
- benign and malignant tumors;
- neurological pathology, etc.
Visualization of soft tissues and tumors is an indication for MRI with contrast. Enhanced tomography takes longer. The doctor will tell you whether the study will need to be repeated. This is done to assess whether there is any dynamics and how recovery is going after surgical interventions.
What is MRI used for?
This method is aimed at obtaining detailed information about the condition of organs and tissues. It allows you to examine intervertebral discs, nerve trunks, substance and vessels of the spinal cord. The result of this diagnostic method can be both layer-by-layer images of the organs being examined and a 3D image. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to identify pathologies in the early stages. MRI is a non-invasive diagnostic method. It allows you to see the structure of intervertebral discs and vertebrae, detect inflammatory processes, pathologies, hernias, ruptures and protrusions, fractures and cracks, pinched and compressed nerves. MRI can help find tumors in the vertebral bodies, infections, congenital abnormalities, etc.
What is the purpose of examining the spine with a tomograph?
Diagnostics using magnetic resonance imaging is carried out to assess the condition of the vertebrae. The doctor examines the spinal cord and cartilage, assesses the degree of blood circulation in the spine. This diagnosis is recommended for:
- Spinal column injuries;
- Chronic headaches;
- Curvature of the spine;
- Impaired motor coordination;
- Damage to the spinal column by infection;
- Presence of vertebral hernia.
MRI of the lumbosacral region is prescribed if other diagnostic methods are not informative enough. If the doctor does not have enough data to make an accurate diagnosis. This technique makes it possible to thoroughly analyze the location and condition of bones, assess their density, and diagnose tumors.
Contraindications for MRI
Absolute:
- applied vascular clips;
- electronic devices in the body (for example, ferromagnetic implants);
- presence of pacemakers.
Relative:
- body weight more than 130 kg;
- claustrophobia;
- metal fragments in the body;
- metal-ceramic dentures;
- severe forms of heart failure;
- conditions that do not allow the patient to remain immobile for a long time, etc.
How to get to us?
Address: St. Petersburg, Kalininsky district, st. Rustaveli, 66 lit. G (metro station Grazhdansky Prospekt)
Phone, 8-967-342-13-11
From metro station Grazhdansky Prospekt
Free parking, plenty of parking spaces.
Art. m. Grazhdansky Ave. 7 minutes walk
Getting to us: Minibuses: 92, 121, 188, 199, 205, 208, 214, 284, 288,
Trams: 51, 100. Buses: 93, 121, 139, 177
Stop - Prosveshcheniya Ave. 106\ st. Rustaveli or Murino railway station
Metro Devyatkino
The MRI center and RIORIT clinic are a 30-minute walk away
or 10 minutes drive from Devyatkino.
By train it’s just one stop at the railway station. Murino.
Minibuses No. 205, 205a., 619 also go to us from Devyatkino
Types of magnetic resonance imaging of the spine
MRI can be performed both for the entire region and for its sections: lumbosacral, sacral, thoracic, cervical, etc. The examination is done with or without contrast. It is injected into the patient's body before the study and can increase the diagnostic sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging. In oncological diseases, this type of study is aimed at clearly determining the structure and size of the tumor and identifying the presence of metastases. As a contrast agent, drugs containing gadolinium salts are used. Only a doctor can choose between studies with or without contrast. In some cases, gadolinium salts can cause allergic reactions.
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- Forms of payment
- How to prepare?
- What should I wear?
- What to take with you
- Contraindications
- How long does the study last?
- When are the results ready?
- Free consultation on MRI results
- Tax deduction documents
- MRI with contrast
- MRI for a child
- I have a complaint
- I want to leave a review
Side effects of contrast
The majority of subjects successfully tolerate the administration of contrast agents. As a rule, the only phenomenon accompanying this process is the appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth. However, gadolinium contrast agents can cause various side effects:
- allergic reactions (eye itching, urticaria);
- vomiting;
- nausea;
- lacrimation;
- heat and rush of blood in the injection area;
- soreness at the injection site.
Side effects are usually harmless and do not require treatment. In some cases, they disappear on their own within a short time. The exception is allergic reactions. They can intensify and cause swelling of the airways if proper measures are not taken in time. If an allergic reaction to the administration of contrast develops, the study is immediately stopped, and the subject is given desensitizing therapy with the administration of antihistamines.
Preparation and execution
It is most likely that magnetic resonance therapy will be prescribed to a patient if he consults a doctor with the following complaints.
- Pain in the back, neck, and sacral region that cannot be relieved and does not respond to traditional treatment.
- Back pain that radiates to the leg or buttock area.
- Pain in the neck, accompanied by numbness in the arms and shoulder girdle.
- Deterioration of vision, hearing and other functions, along with neck pain.
- Decline of reflexes in the lower extremities, weakness in the legs.
- Disturbances in the functioning of the genitourinary system, which are accompanied by back pain.
- Stiffness of the musculoskeletal system.
- Back injuries.
- Pain in the back or neck accompanied by fever.
The good thing about the procedure is that you practically don’t need to prepare for it. It can be carried out absolutely at any time and does not require prior intake of any medications, cleansing of the stomach or intestines, adherence to a diet or other conditions.
Important! The only exception is MRI using a contrast agent. It is recommended to do it on an empty stomach in the morning.
Interestingly, preparing for an MRI is difficult, rather, in a moral sense. Some patients, especially those who suffer from claustrophobia, find it difficult to remain still for a quarter of an hour, which is necessary for the accuracy of the results obtained, inside the capsule of the magnetic resonance imaging scanner.
How long does it take to do an MRI?
Of course, there are a number of contraindications to the procedure.
How does the magnetic resonance imaging procedure of the spine work?
- Before the procedure, all metal jewelry, removable dentures, hearing aids, etc. should be removed. During the examination, the patient should not be wearing steel objects.
- The subject changes into special clothes and then lies down on a retractable table, which is placed during the procedure in a massive cylindrical tube - a tomograph.
- During the examination, the inside of the device is quite noisy. The CT scanner usually makes a loud knocking noise during operation. To prevent it from disturbing the patient, he can use earplugs.
- The space in the tomograph is very limited, so in some cases people may feel claustrophobic in it. If the doctor deems it necessary, he may offer the subject mild sedatives.
- During the session, the patient and the doctor have two-way communication.
- The subject is secured with belts because complete immobility is required during an MRI.
- The duration of the procedure may vary depending on the specific case. It depends on what part of the spine is being examined, as well as on the fact that contrast is used. Typically, an MRI session without contrast lasts about 40 minutes, with it – about an hour and a half.
When are the results ready?
during the day:
The average preparation of results takes 30-40 minutes.
at night time:
If you are registered for an MRI service at night, then a disk with images, as well as pictures, will be provided to you within 10-15 minutes after the end of the tomography, and a written doctor’s report can be received the next day after 13:00. The conclusion will be sent to you by email (scanned copy with the doctor’s signature and the institution’s seal). You can also return to our clinic the next day after 13:00 and on any other day and receive the diagnostic results in person.
MRI of the spine in Moscow
The price for a magnetic resonance examination of the cervical, lumbosacral or thoracic spine at the Treatment and Diagnostic Center on Vernadsky is 5,000 rubles. The cost of diagnosis may increase if contrast is used, and decrease if you undergo a promotional examination. To make an appointment with a specialist at the Diagnostic and Treatment Center on Vernadsky, call the phone number on the website or contact us through the online form. Applications are processed around the clock.
Free consultation on MRI results
In accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation, radiologists do not have the right to make a diagnosis, prescribe or adjust treatment, recommend surgical interventions, prescribe medications, or make prognoses regarding the life and health of the patient. The task of the diagnostician is to competently and as detailed as possible describe the changes identified during the study, without attempting to interpret them. To make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan, you need to contact your doctor with the images and a report.
Based on the results of the tomography, we offer a free consultation with the following specialists:
- MRI of any part of the spine - free consultation with a neurologist
- MRI of any joint - free consultation with an orthopedist
- Vascular MRI - free consultation with a neurologist
Consultations are provided during specialist opening hours by appointment. You can sign up for a free consultation on the day of your MRI. It is also possible to coordinate the date and time of the examination in order to combine diagnostics and a doctor’s appointment on the same day. To do this, when making an appointment for an MRI, you can ask the administrator to make a double appointment on a day convenient for you, taking into account the work schedule of the desired doctor.
It is difficult for an ordinary person to independently understand and interpret the results that, after an MRI, will be given to him on a digital medium. Therefore, with the conclusion of the radiologist and the photographs, he should go for a consultation with the attending physician, who will make a final diagnosis based on the summary data of the examination, medical history and tomography data. In our clinic , after an MRI, you can have a free consultation with a neurologist or orthopedist . Doctor
- will answer all questions based on the results of the research and the conclusion received
- Helps explain tomography results without using complex radiological terminology
- will conduct an examination and, if necessary, offer treatment.
Examination with contrast
Contrast is used to improve visualization; in approximately 20% of all diagnostic cases it is necessary. Gadolinium-based drugs are used, which are safer than iodine-containing substances.
An intravenous injection is performed after routine imaging. For this, the patient is “rolled out” of the device and given a regular injection, after which the test is repeated.
Discuss with your doctor whether contrast is necessary, since in this case the cost of the examination doubles.
The procedure is indicated for suspected multiple sclerosis or for vascular examination. To obtain accurate information about myocardial viability or congenital pathologies, it is also advisable to perform an MRI of the heart with contrast.
Types of equipment
There are several types of equipment on which diagnostics are carried out. There are open and closed devices. Tomographs are also divided into:
- low-floor - power up to 1 Tesla, usually 0.3 - 0.4 T;
- high-field - power 1.5 - 3 Tesla.
Some experts also highlight 1 Tesla mid-field devices.
The higher the magnetic field strength, the better the quality of the resulting images. Open devices have low voltage, so choosing such a tomograph is not always advisable. Always consult your doctor before going for an examination so as not to waste extra money and time redoing the tomography using other equipment.