If you have found that you will be needing to undergo an MRI scan in Riverhead, NY, you may want to know more about the process. Places such as North Fork Radiology, offer this type of technology. MRI stands for “Magnetic Resonance Imaging” and is a form of investigation that uses very strong magnets and radio frequency waves to create an image of a patient’s body.
Why MRI Scan Are Used
If you require an MRI scan, your doctor probably needs to know more about how to treat a specific health issues. By scanning certain sectors of the body, it can help a doctor make diagnoses and treat the following problems:
- Most brain ailments, including dementias and tumors
- Sport injuries
- Most spinal injuries or conditions
- Musculoskeletal problems
- Vascular abnormalities
- Prostate problems
- Female pelvic problems
- Certain gastrointestinal tract ailments
- Specific ear, nose, and throat conditions
- Soft tissue and pathological bone conditions
When You Cannot Be Scanned
Due to the powerful force needed to conduct an MRI scan, some people cannot undergo the procedure. You cannot be scanned if you have the following:
- A cardiac pacemaker
- Aneurysm clips from a brain operation
- A cochlear implant
- A recent surgery (in the last eight weeks)
- A metallic foreign body in the eye
- A programmable shunt for the condition, hydrocephalus
You also cannot undergo a scan if you are pregnant.
MRI scanners contain two powerful magnets. Both these magnets represent the most critical part of the scanning equipment. The human body is mainly made up of molecules of water, which are comprised of oxygen and hydrogen atoms. At the center of the atoms lie a smaller particle known as a proton. This particle serves as a magnet, and is sensitive to magnetic fields.
How the Process Works in a Nutshell
Usually, the water molecules are randomly arranged. However, upon entering a scanner, the first magnet causes the molecules to line up in one direction – either north or south. The second magnet works in combination with the first so a detailed cross-sectional image can be interpreted by a radiologist. So, if you need the imaging, you have at least an idea of what is involved and what to anticipate. Click here to know more.
