NEW MRI RELATED SYSTEMS
As part of our continual effort to provide quality care, we have enhanced our service line by being able to provide the following:
4 D Breast MRI is often used for evaluating patients with dense breast tissue, breast pain, breast discharge, fibrocystic breast disease or patients with a personal or family history of breast cancer. It is also used in conjunction with mammography or ultrasound for clarification of inconclusive or abnormal findings. Breast MRI can also be used for the evaluation of implant rupture, radiation/chemotherapy treatments, and searching for primary breast cancer in patients with lymph node disease.
Pediatric MRI (Ages 8 and above)
Cardiac MRI creates images of your heart as it%u2019s beating, producing both still and moving pictures and major blood vessels. With Cardiac MRI, doctors use the images to look at the structure and function of the heart and these images can help them decide how best to treat patients with heart problems. Cardiac MRI can also be used to avoid the need for other tests that use radiation (such as x rays), invasive procedures, and dyes containing iodine (these dyes may be harmful to people who have kidney problems).
It can be used for diagnosing and evaluating a number of diseases and conditions, including:
- Coronary heart disease
- Damage caused by a heart attack
- Heart failure
- Heart valve problems
- Congenital heart defects
- Pericardial disease (a disease that affects the tissues around the heart)
- Cardiac tumors
MR Arthrogram (Not to be confused with MRA) MR Arthrography combines a standard arthrogram with magnetic resonance imaging. While preparing the iodine contrast for injection into the joint, the physician/radiologist adds a small quantity (usually less than 1 ml) of gadolinium contrast. Once the joint has been injected and the traditional X-ray images have been obtained, the patient then undergoes an MRI of the joint. The gadolinium in the contrast fluid yields a bright hyper intense signal and allows evaluation of small defects of the joint capsule, articular surface of the bones and labral cartilage. MR Arthrography is most often used in evaluation of the hip and acetabular labrum, of the shoulder rotator cuff and glenoid labrum and less often in the wrist.
MRI Fiber Tracking (DTI-Diffusion Tensor Imaging) DTI is used in the field of neurosurgery for the detection of brain tumors and lesions.
MRI CONTRAST AGENTS AND ALERTS Most MRI contrast agents contain gadolinium, a substance that is eliminated primarily through the kidneys. Patients with normal kidneys will eliminate gadolinium within a few hours, but for a patient with kidney problems, it might take longer. In rare cases, this could potentially cause serious complication.
Bio-Magnetic follows the recommendations put forth by the ACR Committee on MR safety and the FDA to ensure patient safety.
They are the following:
- Obtaining an estimated GFR (blood test) within six weeks of an anticipated contrast GBCM-enhanced study in patients with renal disease, (including a solitary kidney, renal transplant, or renal neoplasm.)
- Anyone over 60 years of age
- Patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus or a history of severe liver disease (including prior liver transplant).
The recommended blood tests can be done on-site in less than 20 minutes for patient convenience and unnecessary delay or cancellation of your appointment.
