Warm weather is just around the corner making it an ideal time for weekend projects, jumping back into our favorite activity, or even kickstarting a new workout.
However, sometimes it can be too much too soon, resulting in injuries that may require an imaging exam, such as an MRI.
An MRI can help doctors diagnose several types of injuries, illnesses, and disorders. They may recommend a patient have an MRI for a variety of reasons, such as:
- Examining broken or fractured bones
- Screening for cancer
- Assessing damage from injuries
- Searching for tumors
- Searching for blocked or damaged blood vessels
- Diagnosing arthritis
- Checking for organ damage
- Screening for signs of dementia
The radiologists at AMI are board-certified with subspecialty training in the field of musculoskeletal imaging, neuroradiology, body imaging, thoracic imaging, women's imaging, vascular interventional radiology, and vascular surgery. Our physicians have consistently practiced at the forefront of the newest applications of MRI. MRI applications that are being utilized clinically at the major university hospitals are certain to be found at AMI.
Our MRI technology supports a complete range of clinical applications, including neurology, orthopedics, body imaging, angiography, cardiology, breast imaging, and oncology.
We offer several types of MRIs such as:
- Abdomen
- Ankle
- Brachial Plexus
- Brain
- Breast
- Cardiac
- Chest
- Elbow
- Elastography
- Enterography
- Extremities
- Hip
- Knee
- MRCP
- Orbits, Face and Neck
- Pelvis
- Prostate
- Shoulder
- Spine
- Wrist
MRI exams take between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on which part of the body your healthcare provider wants to examine. You will not feel any pain during or after the MRI scan. In fact, sometimes patients fall asleep during the scanning process. During your scan, you will hear a rhythmic tapping sound; this is the normal sound of the magnetic fields as it scans. Some MRI studies require contrast which is a fluid injected through a vein that shows up as bright on an MRI image. It helps our radiologists identify and characterize certain diseases. To make your exam even more comfortable, AMI offers headphones for listening to music.
Because the strong magnetic field used for MRI may affect certain metallic objects and electronic devices implanted in the body; our MRI staff will ask whether you have any of the following:
- Heart pacemaker or artificial heart valve
- Aneurysm clip in the brain
- Intrauterine Device (IUD)
- Prosthetic hip or knee
- Implanted vascular port (brand names Port-o-cath, Infusaport, Lifeport)
You will be asked to remove things that could affect the magnetic imaging, such as jewelry, eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids, and any other object that contains metal. Dyes used in tattoos and permanent eyeliner may contain metallic iron oxide and could, in rare circumstances, heat up during MRI. You will be asked to change into a gown.
Our locations are equipped with different types of MRIs. Our 3.0T MRI is one of the most technologically advanced MRI machines available which provides high-resolution digital imaging of any body part, including shoulders, knees, brain, and spine.
We also offer a 1.5T wide bore MRI unit and a 1.2T Open MRI unit which allows us to accommodate patients who are claustrophobic, elderly, pediatric, physically challenged, and larger sized.
The Upright MRI has the ability to perform positional imaging which allows patients to be scanned in positions such as sitting or lying down. As a result of its unique ability to scan patients in weight-bearing positions, the Upright MRI has detected problems that may have gone undetected on ordinary lie-down scanners.
For more information about our locations that offer MRI or to schedule your appointment call:
Atlantic and Cape May Counties: 609-677-9729
Cumberland County: 856-794-1700
Ocean and Monmouth Counties: 732-223-9729