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Reading your MRI report summary and researching the findings is not enough. Google is free whereas a medical education is many long years and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of our patients spend hours researching the results of their Cervical Spine MRIs. The internet has made medical information widely available. A Deeper Look into A Normal vs Abnormal Cervical Spine MRI What is a Cervical MRI? How does an MRI work? Does MRI imaging use x-ray? What are the differenes between a normal vs abnormal Cervical Spine MRI? What are the advantages of MRI based diagnoses? What are the shortcomings of traditional MRI imaging? When should you get a Cervial Spine MRI? What does a normal Cervical Spine MRI look like? What are the most common abnormal findings? What are the consequences of misinterpreting a Cervical Spine MRI? What alternative exists? Lets dig in. Your doctor ordered a Cervical MRI and you are awaiting the results. At times there were sharp, shooting pains radiating down your arm with accompanying numbness and tingling. Simple tasks and motions were impossible. You'll probably get the results later in the day.Īlways consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.The neck pain was unrelenting and unresponsive to conservative care. How long is it before the result of the test is known?Īlthough digital images are often available immediately, it may take additional time for a doctor to examine them. Must I do anything special after the test is over? Radiation may be harmful to a developing fetus. However, if you're pregnant, talk to your doctor. The amount of radiation from x-ray tests is too small to be likely to cause any harm. To avoid a blurred image, he or she tells you to remain as still as possible, including holding your breath, before taking each picture. The technician leaves the room or stands behind a screen while controlling the x-ray camera. A front view and a side view are usually taken.įor cervical spine x-rays, the technician tells you to open your mouth as wide as you can before taking some of the pictures this is done to avoid having your teeth block the view of the bones at the top of your spine. He or she positions you against the photographic plate (which looks like a large board) to get the clearest pictures. You either stand or lie down while a technician takes the x-rays. You may be asked to wear a hospital gown. You have to remove all clothing, undergarments, and jewelry from your upper body. Occasionally, doctors x-ray the pelvis to help diagnose the cause of back pain. X-rays can be taken separately for the three areas of the spine: the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (middle back), and lumbar spine (lower back). Hollow body parts, such as lungs, appear dark because x-rays pass through them.ĭoctors use back x-rays to examine the vertebrae in the spine for fractures, arthritis, or spine deformities such as scoliosis, as well as for signs of infection or cancer.
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Dense structures, such as bone, appear white on the x-ray films because they absorb many of the x-ray beams and block them from reaching the plate. Originally, a photograph of internal structures was produced on film nowadays, the image created by the x-rays goes directly into a computer. During this test, you usually stand in front of a photographic plate while a machine sends x-rays, a type of radiation, through your body.
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Last updated on Mar 20, 2023.ĭoctors have used x-rays for over a century to see inside the body in order to diagnose a variety of problems, including cancer, fractures, and pneumonia.