What are “artifacts” in MRI images?

Artifacts (from Latin artefactum) — these are errors made by humans during the research process. Artifacts significantly degrade image quality. There is a large group of physiological (in other words, related to human behavior) artifacts: movement, respiratory, swallowing, blinking, and random uncontrolled movements (tremor, hypertonia). All artifacts related to the human factor can be easily overcome if the person is completely relaxed during the research, breathing evenly and freely, without deep swallowing movements and frequent blinking. However, in medical practice, the use of light anesthesia is not uncommon.

From what age can children have an MRI?

Magnetic resonance imaging has no age restrictions, so it can be performed on children from birth if indicated and if there are no contraindications.

There is a nuance: during the MRI procedure, it is necessary to remain still.

We love children and know how to work with them, thanks to the built-in ultra-quiet technology in the machine ART», we will soothe your baby and perform an MRI quietly, without the need for anesthesia!

What are the contraindications for MRI?

Read a separate article about MRI contraindications here.

Is pregnancy a contraindication for MRI?

Pregnancy in the first trimester is a relative contraindication. In these cases, the doctor weighs the potential benefits (diagnosing and saving the mother or child) and potential risks (for MRI, it is relatively low).

Recently, a number of studies have been published, examining mothers and children after MRI, where the authors calculated probabilities and risks, read about it here.

A separate article about MRI contraindications is here

Is it necessary to have a referral from a doctor to undergo an MRI with you?

A doctor’s referral is not a mandatory condition for visiting the MRI center. We value your concern for your health, your consent to undergo the examination, and the absence of contraindications for MRI. A referral will be important if there is a diagnostic puzzle or additional question; in that case, we will adjust the equipment specifically, and the doctor will pay extra attention. We are open, and our doctor can talk to your doctor to coordinate and provide maximum information to your doctor.

I often have headaches. Which area should I have an MRI of?

The question of whether an MRI of the head is mandatory for headaches remains controversial. We know that some doctors claim that a regular migraine is not an indication for an MRI of the head. However, there are several nuances here.

1. Is it really a regular migraine? A specialist consultation is needed here.

2. Some life-threatening brain diseases (tumors) often do not manifest in the early stages. Here is one of the sad examples. A woman came to a neurologist with a regular headache or even without it. The neurologist did not deem it necessary to perform an MRI because there were no indications according to clinical guidelines. The patient is 100% calm because she was examined by a doctor who said “Everything is fine, there are no indications for MRI, according to clinical guidelines MRI is not necessary “. Then the woman became pregnant. The immune system changes during pregnancy. The tumor began to grow faster. By the time of delivery, the woman became incurable, and the child was left an orphan. The probability of such a coincidence is very low, but to be 99.999% sure instead of 99%, an MRI can be done. This is a question of how precise you need to be sure.

How long does an MRI scan take?

The average duration of a single examination in our center ranges from 10 to 20 minutes; however, it all depends on the detected changes: sometimes, to clarify a disease, the radiologist may expand the examination protocol and use contrast enhancement. In such cases, the examination time increases.

MRI Examination – A Compromise of Time and Quality.

1. Each point on your scan is scanned multiple times. This parameter is set by the operator. If the MRI machine scans one point more times, the amount of noise decreases, but the procedure lengthens proportionally. Less noise and better quality require more scanning time.

2. MRI examination captures images in layers. A smaller step (distance between layers) means less error. An error may occur if something important falls between the slices and is not visualized. Each layer requires separate time. More layers, more time.

3. Each additional program that maps additional information requires time. Additional modes can be added to the usual ones, for example, mapping iron deposits in the brain, measuring concentrations of various chemical compounds through spectroscopy (distinguishing similar tissues by chemical composition), or even determining how one part of the brain connects to another (how the wires are laid and whether they actually work or are broken). Each such program adds a significant amount of time to the examination. Therefore, if quality is more important to you, do not say “I had it done in another place in 5 minutes ” and don’t chase Teslas

Which is better, 3 Tesla or 1.5 Tesla MRI?

31.5T is better than 1.5T if there are no other differences. But unfortunately, in the real world, this is often not the case. MRI is configured by different people, sometimes increasing the step for faster work, only using the minimal set of programs, and reducing the number of scan repetitions. It all depends on what the MRI service is focused on: on “give the disc and the report ” or on “ответить на вопрос “.

Is magnetic resonance imaging harmful?

We have a whole article on whether MRI is harmful.

How to prepare for an MRI examination?

Familiarize yourself with recommendations for preparing for various diagnostic MRI studies here.