When you hurt your shoulder or knee, you should get an MRI scan as soon as possible to avoid any permanent damage. In Alamogordo, you can find the best shoulder MRI scan at Medical Imaging Center, one of the most trusted names in the industry! Our doctors will examine your joints and tell you exactly what’s wrong with them so that you can get back to your regular activities as soon as possible. Here are some reasons why our patients prefer getting an MRI scan at Medical Imaging Center.
What is an MRI Scan?
The acronym MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It’s a painless, non-invasive diagnostic tool that can help your doctor determine if you have any damage or injury to ligaments, tendons, bones, or joints. Specifically, an MRI scan is used to diagnose injuries in soft tissue like muscles and joints. While MRIs are useful for many different ailments, they’re most commonly used to examine issues with people’s backs or knees.
Preparing For Your Test
There are a few steps you can take to prepare for your scan. For example, it’s important to make sure your doctor has given you proper clearance before proceeding with any exercise. Also, make sure you bring your insurance card along with anything else that might be helpful (insurance card). To prepare for a shoulder MRI or knee MRI scan, you should wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to these joints.
The Procedure Itself
MRIs use strong magnetic fields to create detailed pictures of your body. During an MRI, you’ll lie on a narrow table that slides into a tunnel-like device surrounded by powerful magnets. A specially trained technologist performs scans using different types of images or sequences, such as T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging. MRIs are extremely versatile — for example, they can be used to image soft tissues, bones, or organs. An MRI knee scan can be performed using a variety of techniques to either diagnose certain problems or rule out other possibilities based on its findings. For example, shoulder MRIs may be used to pinpoint impingement syndrome while knee MRIs can help reveal cartilage damage like osteoarthritis.
Side Effects to Expect
MRIs for joints are relatively painless. The patient will be asked to lie on a narrow table that slides into a tunnel-like scanner, much like an endoscope for digestive disorders. While inside, patients may feel pressure on their knees or shoulders as well as some minor vibration from the movement of equipment. Some people with metal implants (i.e., artificial knee joints) or hairpins may experience additional ringing in their ears due to magnetic interference; if you have these types of metallic objects, let your radiologist know during your consultation so they can keep track during your procedure.
Post-Procedure Advice Shoulder and knee MRIs are more common than you might think, but what do you know about them? We’re here to explain! A shoulder MRI is typically used to identify damage or disease of any one of your arm’s major joints: your shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, or fingers. This type of injury might be caused by a fall, car accident, or physical abuse. A knee MRI is usually only done after trauma has been identified as a cause for concern; however, it can also be performed if you suffer from arthritic pain that interferes with your ability to walk normally.
