Warm weather is just around the corner making it an ideal time for sports, weekend projects, or even kickstarting a new workout. However, sometimes it can be too much too soon, resulting in injuries that may require an imaging exam.
A common injury seen at AMI is a ligament tear. This occurs when ligaments, the flexible tissue that connects bones together throughout the body, are stretched or strained beyond normal capacity. Body parts such as the knee, shoulder, or elbow can suffer from this. It can be the result of a painful injury, overuse, or wear and tear over time. These injuries can be treated in a variety of ways, ranging from non-surgical options to surgical intervention when necessary. Non-surgical options are often very effective in managing pain and improving a patient’s quality of life.
Accurate diagnosis of these injuries begins with an extensive medical history, physical examination, and utilizing diagnostic imaging when indicated.
MRI is an excellent option for examining joints. Unlike many imaging devices, the MRI uses magnets instead of radiation to create images. MRIs are painless and noninvasive, making them one of the most effective and efficient imaging tests currently available. An MRI is the best type of imaging when looking at tissue and can pinpoint the location of even the smallest muscle strains/tears and determine whether a partial or complete strain/tear has occurred.
At AMI, we offer our patients with variety of options for their MRI. In some offices we offer the 3T MRI which provides high-resolution imaging of any body part, including shoulders, knees, brain, and spine. We also offer a 1.5T wide-bore MRI unit. With the gantry design, coupled with our experienced and caring technologists, we can 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.
Who is reading your exam is just as important as the technology that is used. The radiologists at AMI are board-certified with subspecialty training in the field of musculoskeletal imaging. Our radiologists diagnose injuries and diseases that affect the bones, muscles, joints, tendons, nerves, and other connective tissue. 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.
Typically, an MRI exam can take between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on which part of the body your is being scanned. During your scan, you will hear a rhythmic tapping sound; this is the normal sound of the magnetic fields as it scans. We provide patients with headphones so that they can listen to music during the MRI scan.
You can conveniently schedule your MRI appointment by calling our central scheduling team or by booking your appointment online through the AMI Patient Portal. Through the portal, you can book an appointment, complete your forms, and view your results all online, 24/7. Click here to register for a portal account today.
For more information about our MRI services, please click here.