MRI stands for “Magnetic Resonance Imaging.” This resonance allows us to see conditions such as:
- Inflammation in soft tissues.
- Organ size change or some other abnormality.
- Tumors.
In some occasions to carry out the MRI, contrast agents are introduced into the patient, since it allows obtaining greater visibility on resonance or X-rays of the organs or tissues that want to be investigated.
These agents are introduced into the body in the following ways:
- Injected intravenously.
- A pill or capsule, taken by mouth.
- From an enema, rectally.
How long does an MRI last?
Each MRI lasts about an hour. The time varies according to the area of the body to be explored.
Before performing the MRI, all metallic objects such as earrings, rings, piercings are removed and the patient proceeds to change his clothing to put on a hospital gown.
On the other hand, the specialist should be indicated, in case there are materials within the patient’s body such as:
- Pacemaker.
- Metal plates.
- Intramedullary rods.
- Nails.
- Screws
- Implants in eyes or ears.
It is extremely important to inform the doctor what objects are inside our body before doing the MRI, since they can cause serious damage.
Claustrophobia on MRI
This is a very particular case, the chamber where the person is inserted to perform the resonance, can be claustrophobic, since it is small. It is recommended to mention the doctor who suffers from this condition since once inside, the patient cannot move under any circumstances.
On the other hand, in case the patient is a pregnant female, the doctor should be instructed to take the necessary precautions and inform him of the contraindications that this test may have under these conditions.