What Are My MRI Options?

When you get an injury, the impact on the damaged part of the body determines how deep the problem can go. This predicament means you are either dealing with structural injuries that affect the bone and joints or the often hard-to-detect soft tissue injuries that can hurt muscles, ligaments, tendons, and organs.

Magnetic resonance imaging, more commonly known simply as MRI, is a method that is a frequent solution for examining this kind of condition. However, there are multiple types of this screening you can get. To determine which is most suited for your injuries, let’s explore how MRIs work and the kinds that are available to use. 

Dr. George Stanley and the University Diagnostic Institute team are here to help if you live in the Winter Park, Orlando, or Lake Mary, Florida, area and need an MRI screening or other diagnostic test.

How an MRI works

An MRI’s function is to emit a combination of a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images we can use to analyze body parts. The device is a magnetic tube (often a superconducting magnet) that you enter while lying on a moving table. The magnet uses numerous coils to pass enough electricity to create the field, which can be as high as 2.0 Tesla (T).

The radiofrequency (RF) pulse gets directed at the part of the body we need to examine. Once emitted, the unmatched protons absorb energy and spin in a different direction, creating the resonance associated with an MRI.

Types of MRIs available

We offer multiple types of MRI to get valuable imaging information, such as:

Siemens Verio® 3T wide bore

This device uses the strongest magnetic field available (3T means 3 Tesla), which can create high-quality images faster than conventional MRI devices. It also has a broader and shorter opening, making it easier for people with claustrophobia.

Echelon Oval® 1.5T open bore

This device offers the widest tube opening and supports the most weight, creating a comfortable, spacious atmosphere while going through the test and still delivering high-resolution results.

Siemens Magnetom Essenza 1.5T

While this device has a smaller opening than the others, it is also easier on claustrophobic patients as less body is in the device at any given time.

Whether you’re dealing with injuries or diseases affecting your spinal cord, organs, musculoskeletal system, or other soft tissue areas, one of these devices can give us the data we need to assess your condition. If you need an MRI, make an appointment with Dr. Stanley and the University Diagnostic Institute team today.