What can we help to diagnose?
Knee Pain
If you are suffering from knee pain, an MRI scan can demonstrate several abnormalities in the knee, which could be any one of the following:
- Damage to your articular cartilage (the covering of the bone end), which is a common finding and may be caused by an acute injury, wear and tear or arthritis of the joint.
- Less common is a tear of the meniscus (sometimes called the cartilage). This is often the result of any twisting injury, which commonly occurs in sport, or which can occur in daily activities of living.
- Damage to one of the ligaments of the knee, such as a cruciate ligament or a collateral (side ligament). Ligament damage is often a result of injury caused doing sport or from any type of trauma.
Many of these injuries require an MRI scan to either make a diagnosis or confirm the diagnosis and so enable the correct treatment to be commenced by your GP.
Back Pain
If you are suffering from back pain, the most likely cause is from ligament strain.
An MRI scan can be very reassuring if it excludes any other type of injury. On the other hand, if there is a protruding disc (slipped disc) pressing on a nerve, this is often well demonstrated.
Other abnormalities of the vertebrae or muscles of the back may also be evident on an MRI scan.
Persistent Headaches
An MRI scan of the head in someone complaining of persistent headaches or migraines is usually normal and this finding can be very reassuring.
Other causes of headaches, such as degenerative discs in the neck, are also easily seen.
On the other hand, if something of concern is identified the sooner it is dealt with the better.
Neck and Shoulder Pain
Cervical disc pathology or other degenerative conditions of the neck can usually be identified with an MRI scan.
Shoulder pain can often be the result of radiating pain from a neck lesion.
Shoulder pain may be caused by rotator cuff damage or injury to any of the many tendons in the shoulder.
Lumps, Bumps and other Painful Areas in the Body
In many instances an MRI scan is the idealdiagnostic investigation to demonstrate soft tissue infections and swellings and also infections and swellings of bones in virtually any part of the body.
Any other questions?
If you have any other questions about having an MRI scan to help make a diagnosis of your complaint, please contact one of our Radiographers who will be only too pleased to help you.
REFER YOURSELF
Do you need an MRI scan? Refer yourself for an appointment with Worcestershire Imaging Centre.
Our self-referral form includes some important safety questions. Once these are satisfied, we will be able to book in your scan.
REFER A PATIENT
Need to refer your patient for an MRI? A referral form can be downloaded below.
A full list of contra-indications, including early pregnancy and patients with a Heart Pacemaker, can be found on our website here.