Open MRI vs. Closed MRI

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Aimee Amodio

A friend of mine who had an MRI a few years ago described it as being inside a garbage can while someone pounded the outside with a rubber mallet. The noise, he said, was the worst part. Most people you ask find the closeness to be a problem. My grandmother — who has been ordered several times to have an MRI by various doctors — refuses because she is afraid to be enclosed in the machine. An open MRI is sometimes an option for people who are too large to fit in a closed MRI, or too claustrophobic to undergo … Continue reading →

Why Do I Need An MRI?

Posted on May 17, 2006 by Aimee Amodio

Has your doctor ordered an MRI? You may be wondering why that particular test, over some other scan, like an x-ray or a CAT scan. Magnetic resonance imaging gives an amazing view inside the human body. No other kind of imaging can give the high level of detail that an MRI can. The MRI scanner can take different pictures depending on what your doctor is looking for. MRI systems can even take pictures of blood flowing through the body! If your doctor needs detailed pictures of soft tissue like muscles, nerves, and even your brain, an MRI is the way … Continue reading →

What Is An MRI?

Posted on May 16, 2006 by Aimee Amodio

I live with and am one of the primary caretakers for my 80 year old grandmother, who — among other health issues — has been experiencing memory problems. Her general practitioner wanted her to get an MRI. She refused, saying she was too claustrophobic. Recently, she has been having headaches and neck pain, and another doctor asked her to get an MRI, suspecting nerve damage. Again, she refused. Hoping that logic and information would succeed where her doctors’ requests have failed, I started to do some research. MRI is an abbreviation for magnetic resonance imaging. It is a way of … Continue reading →