MRI Scan For Vascular Conditions: A Brief Note! Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI scan is of great prevalence these days in the diagnosis and disease management related to vascular conditions and otherwise. Why?
Well,
This scan can help your doctor fetch a clear visual of your internal body structure and functions, thereby performing the appropriate treatment. It is also the modality that topples CT or Computed Tomography, traditional X-rays, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans for an accurate diagnosis of many health conditions, including vascular herein!
See How!
What Is An MRI Scan, and When Do Doctors Suggest An MRI Scan For Vascular Conditions?
A Nuclear Imaging Technique is – One that involves powerful magnetic fields to influence the protons in your body and make them shift out of their place so that the computer-generated radio waves can identify their movements and map the internal visuals on the computer screen!
It’s safe! There’s no invasion or radiation like a biopsy, CT scan, or X-ray, respectively. The scan takes place in the radiology centers, typically; on an outpatient basis!
A giant tube-like semi-circular machine is what plays the game. It has a movable bed attached in front. This bed or table is; what takes you to the inside of the scanner tube while you lie on it. The radiologist asks you to shift to a position or hold to one, depending on what images appear on the screen.
Doctors suggest an MRI scan for vascular conditions when they find red alerts in your physiological system, like –
- Severe leg pain or cramps when doing an activity but feels better when at rest, and therefore, restricted mobility,
- Burning sensation or pain in the toes while lying flat or at rest,
- Chest pain,
- Pain that extends to the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, back,
- A sudden change in skin color,
- Wounds over some pressure points in your body, like the heels or ankles, not intending to heal,
- Thickened and opaque toenails,
- A numb or weak sensation in your muscles,
- Shortness of breath,
- Fatigue or severe tiredness,
- Nausea or the constant feeling of throwing up,
- Sweating immensely when the weather is soothing and cozy,
- Gangrene, i.e., a condition where your body tissues in any end part of your body die out due to bacterial infections or lack of blood flow,
- Difficulty swallowing food, and so forth!
How Does An MRI Scan For Vascular Conditions Serve?
Perhaps,
An MRI scan can help assess multiple vascular conditions. They offer high-resolution, detailed images of the blood vessels and surrounding tissues. The contrast capability here is certainly higher, ensuring better clarity for treatment planning.
Here go some serious vascular conditions that your doctors tend to evaluate using an MRI scan!
Aneurysms
Doctors use MRI scans to detect and characterize aneurysms, i.e., abnormal bulges or weak spots in blood vessels, particularly in the brain (cerebral aneurysms) or aorta. However, this is when your doctor predicts that the aneurysm has not ruptured.
Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)
AVMs, or abnormal tangles of blood vessels that may occur in your brain or other parts of the body, are another vascular condition for which your doctor may prefer an MRI scan. It is because an MRI can help reveal the location, size, and extent of the malformations!
Strokes and Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs)
With enhanced image clarity, an MRI scan can help doctors determine the type and extent of a stroke or TIA. In availing of this scan, doctors can precisely locate areas of reduced blood flow or damage caused by a lack of blood supply.
Venous Thrombosis
An MRI scan can help diagnose venous thrombosis, that is, the formation of blood clots in your veins. Doctors can hereby; evaluate the extent of the blockage. The scan is considered a gold-standard modality for deep vein thrombosis where even a duplex ultrasound technique fails.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
If you have a cardiovascular condition like PAD, your doctor may want to see if there’s any blockage in the artery or if the arteries become narrow. An MRI scan can significantly help your doctors with it!
Vascular Tumors
MRI is the doctor’s top pick when it comes to tumors or cancers. An MRI scan can help differentiate between different types of vascular tumors and show their size, location, and extent. An MRI can help expose malignancies or cancerous cells arising in your vascular system.
How Accurate Is An MRI Scan In Diagnosing Vascular Conditions?
An MRI scan is often recognized as the most efficient imaging study to screen certain vascular conditions as it holds greater diagnostic values.
For instance,
- An MRI scan, as per the Radiological Society of North America, is about 90% accurate in diagnosing cerebral aneurysms,
- It has an 89% to 100% sensitivity and 92% to 100% specificity in detecting PAD, notes the National Institutes of Health, India,
- An MRI reserves around 91.5% sensitivity in mapping deep vein thrombosis and 94.7% sensitivity for diagnosing a ganglion cyst!
Any Drawbacks?
Yes. An MRI scan is not usually recommended if you have an existing metallic implant in your body like a pacemaker, cardioverter defibrillator, or aneurysms clips, or maybe metallic dental fillings, as the metallic elements in the presence of the magnets can send false signals and tamper with the test results. Also, there remains a possibility of injury.
Besides,
It’s important for you to note that your MRI scan may include contrast agents (dyes) administration, sometimes, to enhance the visibility of blood vessels and improve the accuracy of the diagnosis. As a result, you may temporary side effects like – skin rashes, itchiness, redness, or swelling near the area of administration, nausea, fatigue, etc. But, these are mild and likely to leave with the dye from your system.
Drink more water!
Another Disclaimer! MRIs are expensive, more because they are high on maintenance and not easily accessible. A proper recommendation can, of course, make it easy!
Bottom Line:
Yet,
It is advisable that you consult a healthcare professional first, If and when you suspect you have a vascular condition. The healthcare professional can best serve examine your symptoms and determine the most appropriate diagnostic imaging method for your case, including whether an MRI is necessary!
Did you doctor refer an MRI scan in Chandigarh to diagnose the reason of your severe toe and ankle pain? Look for a NABL-accredited lab in the city, get quotes, and book an appointment as per your schedule only at www.mrichandigarh.com.
