Thanks to this, at St. Luke’s Clinic you can undergo a wide range of MRI examinations

MRI of the brain, skull base, orbits

Spinal cord MRI

Spine MRI: cervical, thoracic, lumbosacral regions

Joint MRI

MRI of abdominal organs, retroperitoneal space: liver, pancreas, adrenal glands, kidneys

MRI of pelvic organs: prostate, scrotum, uterus, adnexa, rectum, bladder

MR angiography of brain and neck vessels

Indications for MRI

• circulatory disorders;
• hernias and disc protrusions;
• multiple sclerosis;
• suspected stroke;
• neoplasms, inflammation, and other brain pathologies;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• atherosclerosis;
• vascular pathologies (aneurysm, varicose veins, thrombosis, thromboembolism, etc.);
• diseases of ligaments, cartilage, and joints;
• congenital anomalies;
• metastases in soft tissues and bones;
• monitoring disease dynamics.

Contraindications to MRI

Despite the fact that this diagnostic method is considered safe, there are also contraindications – both relative and absolute.

Relative contraindications to MRI:

• first trimester of pregnancy;
• heart failure;
• claustrophobia;
• severe pain that prevents lying still;
• tattoo or permanent makeup with metal-containing pigment;
• implants made of non-ferromagnetic materials;
• presence of braces or metal crowns.

Magnetic resonance imaging is absolutely contraindicated in the following cases:

• mental illnesses;
• epilepsy;
• ferromagnetic implants;
• presence of a pacemaker, coronary stent, hemostatic clips, or mechanical heart valve*;
• implanted hearing aid;
• presence of fixation devices – for example, Ilizarov apparatus;
• metallic foreign bodies (shavings, fragments, bullets), especially if they are located near vital organs or major blood vessels;
• insulin pump;
• artificial lens.

MRI with contrast is contraindicated in the following cases:

• lactation;
• myeloma;
• kidney pathology;
• bronchial asthma;
• taking beta-blockers;
• individual sensitivity to contrast agent.

*For your safety and image quality, you must inform us about the presence of such items before the examination. Modern manufacturers of medical devices have taken care of MRI compatibility; safety information is indicated in the certificates for the products.

The medical resource mrisafety.com provides a list of MRI-compatible implants and medical devices.

Preparation for MRI

For examination of the head, neck, limbs, chest, vessels, and joints, the following measures are sufficient:

• do not use cosmetics (they may contain metallic microparticles);
• do not wear underwear with metal elements.

Additional preparation measures are required before examining the following areas:

Abdominal organs

For the study to be as informative and accurate as possible, it is advisable to take carminative agents for several days before the examination, follow a diet, exclude poorly digestible food and all gas-forming products from the diet. Strictly exclude carbonated drinks. Refrain from food 8 hours before the procedure and clarify with your doctor whether bowel cleansing is necessary before MRI. Do not drink 2 hours before the examination.

Pelvic organs

Follow a diet, exclude poorly digestible food and all gas-forming products from the diet. Do not eat 3-4 hours before the examination. Micro-enema 1 hour before the study.

+ prostate – refrain from ejaculation for 3 days, empty the bladder before the study

+ bladder – last urination (if possible) 1-1.5 hours before the study, then drink 1 liter of water

In addition, you must bring the results of previously performed diagnostic procedures (discs/media), analyses, medical conclusions, as well as a referral (if available).

Main stages of the examination:

• Filling out a questionnaire with standard questions (full name, age, presence or absence of a pacemaker, pregnancy, other implants in the body, allergies, chronic diseases, etc.).
• If the procedure is performed with contrast – an intravenous catheter is inserted.
• The examination in the tomograph takes from 5 to 20 minutes to 2 hours.
• Processing the results takes several days.
• The MRI study result is not a final conclusion and must be interpreted comprehensively for the correct determination of the presence or absence of a disease.

Duration of the study

Studies with anesthetic support (children, claustrophobia) require additional preparation time. It is recommended to arrive 15-20 minutes before your scheduled examination time.

Examination of one spinal segment takes up to 15 minutes. Examination of abdominal or pelvic organs with contrast takes 45 minutes or more.

With an increase in the number and extent of anatomical areas of examination, as well as if additional examination beyond the standard protocol becomes necessary during the study, the examination time may increase.

When you will receive the conclusion

After the study, the radiologist analyzes from 200 to 1000 images. For complex studies, they perform multiplanar reconstructions, build diffusion maps and contrast enhancement curves, and compare the results with previous studies (if any), which takes time.

In some cases, additional time is needed for the radiologist to contact your treating physician to obtain additional clinical information about you. You can always ask the X-ray technician about the readiness time of your conclusion based on the results of the conducted study.

You receive the disc with the study recording immediately after the examination. The preparation of the doctor’s conclusion usually takes 1 to 3 business days. For your convenience, it is possible to send the results to the specified email, messengers (Viber/Telegram/WhatsApp). Results of urgent studies are issued on the same day.