MRI of the lumbosacral region is a safe and at the same time diagnostic technique that allows you to quickly identify various pathologies in this part of the body. Using magnetic resonance imaging, the condition of internal organs and structures, in particular the spinal cord, is analyzed. This study is prescribed by traumatologists and orthopedists; you need to properly prepare for it. There's nothing complicated about it. Before performing an MRI of the lumbosacral spine, it is necessary to analyze the contraindications to such a procedure.
In what cases is MRI of the spine indicated?
An examination using a magnetic resonance imaging scanner is prescribed when it is necessary to study in detail the condition of the vertebrae, spinal cord, cartilage and blood circulation along the entire trunk. This situation can arise in several cases:
- there was a spinal injury;
- suffer from chronic headaches;
- curvature of the spine is observed;
- coordination of movements is impaired;
- an infectious lesion of the brain stem was detected;
- there is a herniated disc.
When other diagnostic methods do not provide sufficient information to make a diagnosis, MRI is prescribed. This method allows you to carefully study not only the condition and position of the bones, but also determine their density, detect neoplasms and identify the substance of which they are composed.
Indications for the study
Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral spine may be prescribed in the following cases:
- The patient complains of regular pain in the lumbosacral spine;
- After diagnostic procedures, additional examinations are required;
- The doctor suspects the presence of tumors in the area being examined.
- Suspicion of the presence of an intervertebral hernia or degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs;
- Congenital anomalies of the spinal column;
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- Previous back injuries.
Doctors recommend getting diagnosed as soon as disturbing symptoms appear. As a rule, the most common reason for an MRI is acute pain in the lumbosacral spine. A correct diagnosis and prescribed treatment will help you get rid of the pathological process and forget about the pain forever.
How the research works
The unknown is always scary. This is one of the main features of the human psyche. That is why it is important for everyone who is preparing to undergo the procedure to know what exactly will happen during the study.
The basis of the tomograph's operation is concentrated on the magnetic field that arises inside the diagnostic ring of the equipment. A powerful magnet is enclosed in the body of the tomograph ring, and when the procedure is started, it begins to rapidly rotate along the guide, making an uncountable number of revolutions around the patient’s body placed inside. As a result, the particles that make up human organs and tissues begin to vibrate at this frequency. This allows you to determine not only the consistency of the substance, but also its density, location and many other parameters that help the doctor see everything that will help make the correct diagnosis.
The advantage of MRI is that there is no need to surgically examine the damaged area of the body. There is no need to give high doses of anesthesia to put the patient to sleep and cut the skin, as well as the top layer of tissue hiding the vertebrae. Clothing also does not matter during the examination. Therefore, the patient can sit on the tomograph table in comfortable clothing.
How to dress for an MRI?
You can take the examination in your own clothes, if they are loose-fitting and do not restrict movement. The patient must take a horizontal position and remain motionless for about half an hour. Clothes should not press or dig into the skin. Try to choose cotton fabrics that are breathable.
In clothes that contain iron zippers and buttons, diagnostics with a tomograph cannot be carried out. You'll have to change into a medical gown.
When you go to the hospital, you should not wear jewelry, do complex hairstyles, or secure them with hairpins. You are not allowed to take gadgets into the MRI room.
Follow all the listed rules to obtain accurate data based on the results of the survey.
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How to properly prepare for an MRI
The examination does not require special preparation, but there are some points you need to be aware of. First of all, these are metal objects on clothes. This applies to hooks on buttons, details on a belt, and pins on a jacket lapel.
Doctors pay special attention to women’s wardrobes, because they wear jewelry more often than men. In addition, bras often have metal wires and clasps. Before entering the examination room, the patient will be advised to remove all jewelry and other clothing items that have even small metal parts.
Due to the fact that metal can be not only outside the body, but also inside it, each patient is asked to fill out a questionnaire in which it will be necessary to answer several questions of the following nature:
- are there metal bridges on the jaw;
- whether there were operations to insert metal plates;
- whether smile restoration was carried out using metal pins.
A positive answer to at least one question indicates that examination with an MRI machine is contraindicated. Another factor prohibiting magnetic resonance imaging is the presence of a pacemaker.
How is an MRI of the lumbosacral spine performed?
Magnetic resonance imaging is performed by experienced specialists using high-quality equipment - a modern tomograph. Before the examination, the doctor gives instructions and talks about the diagnostic features. The patient is informed that the device makes noise during the examination - and this is normal, so there is no need to panic. If the patient is bothered by noise, he is asked to wear headphones. The tomograph also has a microphone, thanks to which you can communicate with a specialist during the examination. The tomograph also has an alarm button that can be pressed if during the diagnosis the patient becomes ill, scared, etc.
As soon as the instructions are completed, the patient takes off his clothes (if necessary, changes his clothes), removes all jewelry and lies down on the couch. The table slides into the tomograph, where the lumbosacral region is scanned. The manipulation takes about 25-20 minutes.
Features of MRI of the spine
Research using a tomograph does not require any diet or other type of preliminary preparation from the patient. However, it is important to know the body's reaction to iodine, since this element is part of the contrast agent often used in certain situations. There are other contrasts that are injected into the vertebral area. Therefore, in each specific case, it is important to know whether there is an allergy to the components included in the composition.
In addition, to maintain the accuracy of the images, it is important to lie still inside the device. If a person suffers from claustrophobia or other disorders associated with a fear of narrow and confined spaces, you should tell your doctor about this. The slightest movement will make the examination uninformative.
Why is MRI good?
Magnetic resonance imaging was preceded by computed tomography - almost safe, but far from being as perfect.
CT scan
And before it, hardware diagnostics had only X-rays, which could not be called either effective or safe.
By the way. For some diseases, x-ray remains the priority diagnostic method today, since it is the most inexpensive and easiest way to detect certain pathologies. But most diseases cannot be detected using x-rays. These include many diseases of the spine.
If you want to know in more detail what an x-ray of the spine shows, and also consider indications and contraindications, you can read an article about this on our portal.
X-ray machine
When the MRI machine appeared (and this happened relatively recently, at the end of the last century), medicine reached a new diagnostic level. By performing this test, the diagnostician can see not only almost any pathology, but also its image in various planes.
MRI scanner
Using magnetic resonance imaging, it is possible to diagnose pathologies and monitor the dynamics of their progression. The study is completely non-invasive and takes from a quarter of an hour to 60 minutes, and does not require any specific preparation from either the doctor or the patient.
Important! The MRI procedure can be performed on pregnant women (it is recommended to abstain until 12 weeks, but if the risks associated with the lack of diagnosis are great, the study is prescribed) and newborn children. The radiation from the device is not dangerous, and the procedure itself is painless.
MRI machine in a children's hospital
MRI machine specially decorated for children
How does the device work? Its operation is based on the principle of using a magnetic field in combination with radio frequency pulses. The information enters the computer, which processes it and produces an image that can be viewed directly on the monitor and then printed.
Principle of the MRI method
Why is MRI the best diagnostic test for spinal diseases? The spinal column is a long and complex organ that simply cannot be subjected to fluoroscopy. To do this, the entire person will have to be irradiated, and pathologies and displacements will be visible only in the plane in which the x-ray is taken.
The principle of operation of the tomograph
Computed tomography gives a clearer and more comprehensive picture, but the most effective is CT with contrast, which can be injected into the vessels, but not into the bone and joint tissues. MRI will show any, even the smallest, pathology in any fragment of the spinal column.
Table. X-ray, CT, MRI - analysis of advantages and disadvantages.
Why is an MRI prescribed?
In addition to the fact that MTP is prescribed to obtain detailed information about the condition of bones and tissues, bypassing surgical intervention, this study is often used to monitor various neoplasms.
For example, when a cyst or other growth, the nature of which is unknown, is discovered inside bone tissue or the spinal cord, the attending physician first prescribes regular examinations with a certain frequency in order to determine the state of the formation over time: is it growing or not, and at what speed. This allows you to understand the etiology of the growth and determine the correct tactics of medical behavior.
Decoding the results
Deciphering the images takes about an hour. The examination can reveal metabolic, dystrophic, autoimmune inflammatory processes on the structures of the spine, which lead to the appearance of diseases such as ankylosing spondylosis, spondylosis, spondyloarthrosis, intervertebral hernia, etc. Also, MRI can reveal various neoplasms.
In the absence of pathological abnormalities, the conclusion usually indicates the following information:
- Liquorodynamics are not disturbed.
- The height of the intervertebral discs is normal.
- The lumen of the spinal canal is normal.
- The signal from the structures of the distal parts of the spinal cord is not changed, the contours are clear and even.
- No dorsal intervertebral hernias or neoplasms were detected.
The attending physician will explain to you in detail what the study revealed: whether a pathological process has been detected, what exactly provokes pain and other unpleasant symptoms associated with the lumbosacral spine, and will explain how to get rid of them. Try to seek help from medical institutions when the first disturbing symptoms appear.
How to get an MRI for free
Many clinics today offer MRI. But such a service is paid and costs a lot. Examination of each individual part of the body has its own cost, and you will have to pay separately for the need to administer a contrast agent. The minimum price for a study starts from 3,000 rubles, and can be increased by 4-5 times, depending on the price list of each specific clinic. However, anyone can undergo such examination free of charge if there are certain indications for it.
For example, if you complain of migraines, a neurologist will prescribe an MRI as part of free medical care if other research methods are not informative. Therefore, you should not self-medicate and prescribe expensive procedures to yourself. First, contact your local specialist as part of your compulsory medical insurance policy, and if necessary, you will receive a free referral for an MRI.
How much does an MRI cost?
In our center, MRI is performed on an open tomograph - during the procedure, the patient lies on an open couch and watches the doctor’s actions. A closed tomograph is a tunnel in which the patient is placed while the images are taken. For many, such a tunnel becomes a stressful factor, but an open tomograph is suitable for absolutely everyone.
In the price list we have indicated all areas of MRI, but remember that you must first consult a doctor. This examination method may be optimal for you, but there are other diagnostic methods. Your case is individual!
You can sign up for an MRI of the back and lower back, as well as other parts of the back, based on the recommendation of a specialized doctor, ask questions and schedule a consultation with the specialists of our center by calling +7 (391) 229-80-85.
Contraindications
Doctors identify strict contraindications to MRI of the lumbar and sacrum:
- Presence of a pacemaker, neurostimulator, vascular clips in the body.
- Presence of a cochlear implant (prosthesis for hearing loss).
- Using an insulin pump (a device for continuously injecting insulin).
- Presence of implants with metal connections.
- 1st trimester of pregnancy.
There are also conditional contraindications in which MR scanning can only be performed when using devices with a special design:
- Functional heart failure.
- After coronary bypass surgery.
- Tremor (shaking of the body or its parts).
- Weight from 120 kg.
MRI with contrast is prohibited if you are allergic to the injected substance. The procedure is also prohibited for patients with functional liver or kidney failure, as it becomes difficult to remove the solution. This restriction applies to pregnant and lactating women.
For claustrophobia and obesity, scanning can be performed in an open-type installation.
MRI of the sacroiliac joints
The SIJ (sacroiliac joint) is quite inactive; it connects the pelvic bones to the spinal column. When problems arise in this area, pain appears that spreads to the legs and groin. It is difficult to diagnose intervertebral hernias and radiculitis in this area. In such cases, MRI of the sacroiliac joints will help; this study will help determine the nature of the pain.
The procedure is prescribed for suspected rheumatism, if it is impossible to take x-rays or if there are symptoms of diseases of the sacroiliac joints, after injuries to the lower back. Diagnosis is also necessary for inflammation of this joint or joints of the legs, osteochondrosis of the lower segment of the spine.