Author: Dr. Hamid Alam

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the inside of the body. MRI scans are common and can be used to examine all parts of the body, including the brain, spine, joints, organs, and blood vessels.

MRIs are safe and effective, and they can help diagnose a wide range of injuries and diseases. If you need to get an MRI, it is important to know what to expect so you can be prepared and comfortable.

Before your MRI

Your doctor will discuss the MRI with you and answer any questions. They will also give you instructions on how to prepare for the exam.

In general, you will need to:

    Avoid wearing jewelry or other metal objects.

    Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.

    Arrive on time for your appointment and bring your insurance card and other relevant paperwork.

    If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, be sure to tell your radiologist.

    Tell your radiologist about any medical conditions you have and any medications you are taking.

During your MRI

When you arrive for your MRI, you will be asked to remove any metal objects from your body and change into a gown. You will then be led into the MRI room and positioned on the MRI table.

The MRI machine is a large, cylindrical magnet. During the exam, the table slides into the middle of the magnet.

Once you are positioned on the table, the radiographer will secure you with straps and pillows to help you remain still. The radiographer will then go to a control room where they can monitor you during the exam.

The MRI machine will make loud tapping and thumping noises during the exam. These noises are caused by the changing magnetic fields. You may be given earplugs or headphones to help reduce the noise.

The MRI exam will last anywhere from 15-90 minutes, depending on the type of exam. During the exam, you will need to lie still. You may also be asked to hold your breath for short periods of time.

After your MRI

After the MRI exam is complete, the radiographer will help you off the table and remove the straps and pillows. You will then be able to change back into your clothes and leave the MRI room.

The radiologist will review the MRI images and generate a report. The report will be sent to your referring doctor, who will discuss the results with you and recommend any further treatment or testing.

Common concerns about MRIs

Some people are concerned about MRIs because of the enclosed space, the loud noises, and the possibility of being exposed to radiation.

It is important to remember that MRI machines are designed to be safe and comfortable for patients. The MRI room is well-lit and there is a fan to keep you cool. You can also communicate with the radiographer at any time during the exam.

MRI machines do not use X-rays, so there is no risk of radiation exposure. However, the MRI machine does create a strong magnetic field. This magnetic field is safe for most people, but it can interfere with certain medical devices, such as pacemakers and cochlear implants.

Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about having an MRI.

Tips for making your MRI more comfortable

Here are a few tips for making your MRI more comfortable:

•     Take a deep breath and try to relax before the exam.
•     Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
•     If you are claustrophobic, talk to your doctor about taking a sedative before the exam.
•     Bring earplugs or headphones to help reduce the noise.
•     If you are claustrophobic, talk to your doctor about taking a sedative before the exam.
•     If you need to move during the exam, let the radiographer know.

Conclusion

As Hamid Alam MD outlined, MRI is a safe and effective imaging technique that can help diagnose a wide range of injuries and diseases. By knowing what to expect during an MRI, you can be prepared and comfortable.

The utilization of radiology imaging to diagnose and guide interventions has boomed since the 1900s, developing into the highly beneficial tool it is today. However, every department has a moral, professional, and legal responsibility to protect patients from undue exposure to radiation in order to prevent avoidable negative health impacts.

Hamid Alam M.D. of Jericho, New York explains that when a process using radiation is suggested by a healthcare professional, the patient’s benefits are always identifiable, and sometimes quantifiable. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the risks of adverse consequences, which are frustratingly hard to predict and potentially tricky to communicate. Regardless of how challenging it may be, though, communication is the cornerstone of ensuring patient safety. 

Communicating Risks for Patient Autonomy

Since the risks of ionizing radiation in medical imaging are unignorable, it’s the responsibility of the radiology department to ensure everybody involved with the process understands them. This includes the patient to affirm autonomy. 

Even though the risks to patients from radiology examinations are rather low, it doesn’t mean they are any less important. Both bioethical and legal principles require informed consent. In other words, physicians cannot privately weigh the benefits and the risks; they must fully inform the patient. 

The challenge of such communication comes with the complexity of some risks. While a few may manifest near-instantly following the imaging procedure, others can slowly form over decades. So, physicians must find a way to convey the necessary information in simple terms to guarantee that patients completely understand and can make a well-informed decision.

The Error Prevention Practice

According to Improving Patient Safety in Radiology, published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, error prevention training is provided to all employees in and around clinical care facilities who come into contact with patients. It’s a mandatory two-hour program that defines safety terminology, examples safety failures, considers institutional baseline safety performance, and outlines the approach to safety, including in the radiology department. 

The entire program is based around just three core concepts:

• Clear communication
• Personal commitment to safety
• Attention to detail

Designed to offer practitioners the opportunity to practice low-risk behaviors during high-risk scenarios, minimizing human error across the hospital board.

While detailed entirely throughout the course, a few key patient safety strategies used by radiologists and other department employees include:

• STAR (a.k.a., stop, think, act, review)
• Repeat back and read back
• Encourage questions and clarity
• Safe patient handoffs
• SBAR (a.k.a., situation, background, assessment, recommendation)

Researchers also note the advantages of involving families in safety improve groups. As their paper explains, it’s one of the main ways for radiology departments (and entire institutions) to acquire patient safety success. 

Collaborating for a Culture Prioritizing Safety

Teamwork is essential for ensuring patient safety and decreasing the dangerous impacts of ionizing radiation. It’s every professional’s responsibility to guarantee safety for their patients. It isn’t down to the head of department or the person taking the images.

Collaboration between professionals within the department and the wider facility must be achieved to limit the chances of adverse consequences. 

To a large extent, radiologists work behind the scenes to decode the complex imagery of our bodies and provide their insights to physicians using highly detailed reports. 

Radiologists are specially trained medical doctors who use tools like ultrasounds, MRIs, X-rays, CT scans, and PET scans to diagnose diseases. When a patient undergoes a radiologic examination, the radiologist looks for any abnormalities or deviations from the norm that could indicate the presence of a disease or medical condition.  

Below, Hamid Alam MD of Jericho, New York reviews the integral role played by radiologists in a patient’s medical journey, as both diagnosticians and treating physicians.

The Interpretation of Radiology Reports

Radiologists compile detailed reports that include information about the type of examination performed, a description of the images, and their findings. These are then sent back to the referring physician who requested the imaging study. 

These reports provide the starting point for a patient’s treatment, so it’s vital that physicians share pertinent background information on a patient in order to assist in accurate imaging interpretation. Since radiological images are so complex, it is often difficult to identify a variation from the norm, or to know precisely what a physician is hoping to find out about their patient. 

When communication is not done thoroughly, radiologists are prone to missing crucial details. This becomes a concerning issue for the field when the diagnostic success of these medical professionals is compared to the ability of AI algorithms to spot issues based on millions of data points. 

The Radiologist’s Role and the Emergence of AI

Radiologists hold a crucial role in the medical ecosystem. They’re not just interpreters of medical images; they’re vital members of the healthcare team who are meant to collaborate with other physicians. 

Yet, because AI can detect patterns and abnormalities that could be too subtle for the human eye, it’s often reported as being more successful when identifying pathologies. However, AI is best used as an aid for initial screenings to flag potential areas of concern, as it is never completely reliable. Human expertise will always be the invaluable backbone of interpreting the nuances and complexities of these images.

Radiologist’s Role on Treatment Teams

While diagnostic radiologists may not have much interaction with a patient beyond performing and interpreting radiological imaging, they remain a crucial part of the treatment team.

Interventional radiologists are called on to perform some image-guided and minimally invasive techniques or deliver targeted treatments that help patients avoid major surgery. Radiation oncologists play an even more active role by treating cancer patients with radiation and helping them manage side effects.

Even when a radiologist isn’t performing procedures, treatments often begin with them because they’re responsible for the bulk of any diagnostic process involving radiological imaging. The patient’s treatment regimen is often based on their expertise.

Summary

Radiologists turn medical images into diagnoses and treatment plans, and their expertise contributes significantly to a patient’s healthcare journey. Even as AI becomes a more common tool in this field, it can only act as an augment, not as a replacement. Radiologists’ roles remain crucial in providing context for patient care, interpreting complex cases, and integrating findings into the broader clinical picture.