MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of body soft tissues. It does not expose patients to x-rays. If you need an MRI scan, when you attend the appointment, you need to lie on a table which slides into the scanner. MRI scans take rather longer than Ultrasound, CT or other imaging techniques. As a rough guide, MRI imaging of the joints, limbs and spine is generally rather quicker than imaging the organs in the abdomen/pelvis (allow between 45-60 minutes for the latter). The MRI machine can be noisy; patients can use headphones to help block out the noise or listen to music whilst you lie still for your scan.

MRI scanning is very safe but certain patients may be precluded from having an MRI scan; for example those with cardiac pacemakers, fragments of metal in the body and certain medical prostheses/devices.

MRI scans are particularly widely used for imaging the brain, spine, joints and limbs where imaging these tissues with MRI is often advantageous to the information provided by CT. More complex MRI techniques can be used to gain specialist information in the liver and abdomen/pelvis more generally including in the arteries when the technique is then called MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiography).

In addition to supervising and reporting scans, we are available to advise patients, GPs and other specialists which type of scan (ultrasound, CT or MRI) is best to answer the particular clinical concern or question required for each patient referred to us.

We can offer private MRI scanning at both BMI The Meriden and The Warwickshire Nuffield Hospitals.