Knee MRI – What to expect?

Introduction
⦁ You may need an MRI when you experience severe knee pain
⦁ With an MRI, doctors at Orthopedics India identify the symptoms and causes of your pain
⦁ What is an MRI?
⦁ An acronym for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
⦁ The process uses a magnetic field, a computer and radio waves to visualize the inside of your knee
⦁ An x-ray envisions only bones while an MRI helps visualize, besides the bones, tendons, cartilages, ligaments and muscles
Problem indication
⦁ The MRI can detect a range of problems including:
⦁ Fracture in the bones
⦁ Tumors
⦁ Infections
⦁ Cartilage damage
⦁ Tendon and ligament tears
⦁ If you require knee surgery – MRI taken before the procedure
⦁ Once operation completed – another MRI taken after the surgery heals
Procedure
⦁ The MRI is typically a big hollow tube-like structure
⦁ Patients must wear loose-fitting clothes or hospital provided gowns
⦁ Thereafter, you must lie on the examination table
⦁ You will then slide into the tube via the movable exam table
⦁ Only the lower body enters first for a knee MRI – the feet go into the tube first
⦁ After that, for about 15 to 45 minutes or longer – hold still till the images of the knee obtained
⦁ Sometimes, a special dye injection or contrast agent administered before the examination
⦁ This helps better visualization of the knee. 
⦁ Typically, the injection feels cool as the liquid passes through the body 
During the MRI
⦁ Generally, patients remain alone on the MRI exam table and in the room
⦁ A computer placed outside, used by the technologist to capture the image correctly
⦁ Headphones and earplugs may be offered if the sound of thumping and whirring of the machine is unbearable to you
After completion
⦁ The MRI images – sent to the radiologist for a reading and report
⦁ Thereafter, a report provided to the doctor for action
Precautions
⦁ You may be asked to remove all metal on your self
⦁ This generally, interferes with the magnetic field of the machine
⦁ Let your doctor know if you have metal inside of you – like a shrapnel or metal implants such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators
Concerns
⦁ You might feel claustrophobic during the MRI because of tight spacing
⦁ Calm your anxiety with medications if required
⦁ In case of pregnancy inform the doctor beforehand
⦁ If you think you are allergic to contrast dye, let the technologist know before the procedure

For all MRI scans and x-rays reach out to Orthopaedics India 24 x 7 at +918101555555.