Making the Correct Decision: When Do You Really Need an MRI Scan?

MRI scans are a modern scientific marvel, allowing physicians to obtain sharp and detailed images of the human body to help them make accurate diagnoses. Despite the widespread use of MRI scans for assessing injuries and the like, however, the fact of the matter is that MRI scans aren’t always necessary.

An MRI is generally safer than X-rays due to the absence of radiation, but it is still best to only get an MRI when absolutely necessary. The key here is knowing when undergoing an MRI scan would be most beneficial to avoid unnecessary expenses. Cases that will often require an MRI scan include:

The Three Common Reasons Why Your Doctor Would Recommend an MRI Scan

Your doctor may have told you to undergo imaging tests to better evaluate your symptoms or treatment. But if you’re not familiar with tests beyond the common X-ray, you might wonder why you’d need an MRI or a CT scan.

If your physician has told you to undergo an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), there are usually three main reasons why.

Soft tissue needs to be studied

It’s no secret that MRI scans produce more detailed soft tissue scans compared to CT scans. While the latter uses X-ray beams to take images of the body’s organs, MRIs use nuanced radio frequency pulses and powerful magnets to take clearer images of internal structures – specifically, “soft” ones that are not like bones or teeth. Soft tissue includes tendons, ligaments, connective membranes, blood vessels, and nerves.

MRI As A Viable Approach to Diagnosing Certain Pituitary Diseases

The pituitary gland isn’t known as the “master gland” for nothing. As the control center of the endocrine system, this gland controls and regulates other endocrine glands in the body. It’s only crucial, then, to come up with the proper diagnosis for possible problems with the pituitary gland.

Conditions such as pituitary adenomas (or tumors) are characterized by symptoms like a gradual change in vision, weak muscles, and enlargement of the fingers, face, or forehead. Problems with the pituitary gland can quickly escalate into permanent vision loss and other symptoms associated with pituitary hormone deficiency or excess.

With MRI Scans, Prostate Cancer Patients Can Now Do Away With Biopsies

One in seven American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, based on the numbers culled by the American Cancer Society. Yet diagnosing this particular condition proves to be difficult. While biopsies are often recommended to fully establish the presence of prostate cancer, these often come with several setbacks. Biopsies are deemed poor in detecting the most aggressive cancer patients, which can be fatal for those suffering from severe cases.

Fortunately, medical experts have discovered the possibility of using MRI scans as a more effective tool in diagnosing prostate cancer.

Study Suggests HIV Can be Spotted in the Brain through MRI Scanning

According to a recent study, changes in the brain—as seen in  magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans—could indicate that human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) continues to persist in the brain despite effective drug treatment. The study, conducted by scientists from the University College London and published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, reveals that patients can still have the immune system virus even when an existing treatment keeps the symptoms of the disease under control.

Party Days are Over: MRI Seen as a Tool to Head Off Underage Drinking

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is the most widely used and abused substance among America’s youth, with two-thirds of 18-year-olds admitting to alcohol use. In fact, underage drinking is regarded as a serious public health problem nationwide, and its consequences are already having an effect in today’s society.

The campaign against underage drinking continues, with teenagers being lectured on the negative effects of alcohol consumption. Now, a recent study suggests that early intervention among possible heavy drinkers may be possible with the use of MRI.

Predicting Heavy Drinkers

The study, published online in the American Journal of Psychiatry, applied an imaging-aided model to 137 participants aged 12 to 14, 97 percent of which have never tried alcohol. The researchers combined the use of multimodal neuroimaging data, particularly both structural and functional MRI, with neuropsychological testing and demographic info.

With these, the researchers were able to identify 34 neural factors that predict adolescent alcohol consumption. These predictors include demographic and behavioral factors (being male and dating early), along with structural factors as revealed through the MRI scans (such as thinner cortices and less brain activation). This list consequently allowed the researchers to achieve 74 percent accuracy at separating 70 participants who went on to become heavy drinkers by the age of 18.

Quantifying the Risk

Previous neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies have suggested the possibility of quantifying the behavioral mechanisms of the risks for substance abuse. This study, however, found that neuroimaging yielded an increased predictive accuracy. When replicated and expanded, MRI scans can be of vital importance in predicting adolescent alcohol abuse and helping physicians conduct ways to prevent it.

Sources:

MRI may help head off underage drinking, Health Imaging

Researchers Identify Neural Factors That Predict Adolescent Alcohol Use, UC San Diego Health

Outpatient MRIs: An Affordable Option in an Expensive Health Market

In California, a magnetic resonance imaging test, or MRI, can cost anywhere from $255 to $6,000. Either end of that price range can be tough to afford, depending on a patient’s income and insurance plan.