Why would a doctor order an MRI of the head?

A brain MRI can help doctors look for conditions such as bleeding, swelling, problems with the way the brain developed, tumors, infections, inflammation, damage from an injury or a stroke, or problems with the blood vessels. The MRI also can help doctors look for causes of headaches or seizures.

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Why would a doctor order an MRI of a patient's head?

An MRI will show a detailed image of your brain, spinal cord, nerve tissue, and more. A neurologist would order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of your brain if they suspect something is wrong, if they are diagnosing an issue, or if they want to monitor the development or treatment of an injury.

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What is the difference between a head MRI and a brain MRI?

A head MRI and a brain MRI are the same procedure. They both provide images of the inside of your head. While healthcare providers most often use head and brain MRIs to assess your brain, these imaging procedures provide images of other structures in your head, too, such as facial bones, blood vessels and nerves.

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Why would a neurologist order a brain MRI?

MRI is used to diagnose stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain and spinal cord tumors, inflammation, infection, vascular irregularities, brain damage associated with epilepsy, abnormally developed brain regions, and some neurodegenerative disorders.

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Is a brain MRI serious?

While many brain conditions can be serious or life-threatening, it's important to realize that an MRI of the brain isn't something that should be scary. It's a beneficial process that can help your medical team spot potential problems and offer treatment before the issues develop into something more severe.

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Headaches: When you need an MRI and Doctor's visit ( Patient Education and awareness )

39 related questions found

What could be abnormal in a brain MRI?

Abnormal results may be due to: Abnormal blood vessels in the brain ( arteriovenous malformations of the head ) Tumor of the nerve that connects the ear to the brain ( acoustic neuroma ) Bleeding in the brain.

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Should I be worried about getting an MRI?

We understand that the examination can be a bit stressful, but there is no reason to fear the MRI machine. Having an MRI is a painless, completely safe procedure. You'll be much less anxious if you know exactly what to expect, and this guide will walk you through the steps of a typical MRI scan.

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What symptoms would warrant a brain MRI?

When is it considered medically necessary to have a brain imaging study?
  • swelling of the optic nerve.
  • abnormal reflexes.
  • weakness on one side of the face or body.
  • unsteady gait.
  • double vision.
  • vision loss.
  • abnormalities of the pupils.
  • confusion.

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Can MRI results be seen immediately?

The radiologist may discuss initial results of the MRI with you right after the test. Complete results are usually ready for your doctor in 1 to 2 days. An MRI can sometimes find a problem in a tissue or organ even when the size and shape of the tissue or organ looks normal.

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What if an MRI shows something?

If you have a concern that your MRI revealed something that needs to be treated urgently, you can call your doctor's office. However, if a radiologist identifies emergency findings, they will usually contact you. This is especially true if you require immediate treatment.

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Would a head MRI show a tumor?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are used most often to look for brain diseases. These scans will almost always show a brain tumor, if one is present.

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Can head MRI detect tumors?

These slices, when put together, are useful for capturing detailed 3D images of the inside of your body—particularly the brain and spinal cord—to see both healthy and unhealthy tissue. A single MRI scan is useful for diagnosing a tumor.

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How long does head MRI take?

The test usually takes 30 to 60 minutes but can take as long as 2 hours.

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What does a brain MRI show headaches?

It's important to understand that you can't use an MRI scan to diagnose migraines or any type of headaches. However, with these scans, your doctor can see if you have any other medical conditions including: A brain tumor. An abscess (an infection in your brain)

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Will a radiologist tell you if something is wrong?

“They aren't doctors, and while they do know how to get around your anatomy, they aren't qualified to diagnose you.” That is true even though the tech likely knows the answer to your question. Imaging techs administer thousands of scans a year.

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What not to do before an MRI of the brain?

You can prepare for your scan ahead of time by removing the following items from your body and pockets:
  • Body piercings.
  • Pens.
  • Jewelry.
  • Hearing aids.
  • Pins.
  • Hairpins.
  • Zippers or any metal clothing fasteners.
  • Removable dental work.

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What should you not do before an MRI?

Since the MRI machines are magnets, it is best to not apply deodorants, antiperspirants, perfumes, or body lotions before the examination. These items contain metals that might interfere with the magnetic field inside the MRI machine and cause you to have distorted images and wrong results.

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How long does it take for MRI results to be serious?

It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks for the results of an MRI scan to come through, unless they're needed urgently.

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Why would a doctor send you for a brain scan?

Brain scans produce detailed images of the brain. They can be used to help doctors detect and diagnose conditions, such as tumours, causes of a stroke or vascular dementia.

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Can brain MRI show mental illness?

Brain scans alone cannot be used to diagnose a mental disorder, such as autism, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. In some cases, a brain scan might be used to rule out other medical illnesses, such as a tumor, that could cause symptoms similar to a mental disorder, such as depression.

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Why do doctors suggest MRI scans?

MRIs are one of the most common ways doctors diagnose patients. They can be used to look at things like the brain, spine, and muscles. MRIs are also used to see if a patient has cancer, tumor, or other health problems.

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What conditions can an MRI diagnose?

The MRI scan is used to investigate or diagnose conditions that affect soft tissue, such as:
  • Tumours, including cancer.
  • Soft tissue injuries such as damaged ligaments.
  • Joint injury or disease.
  • Spinal injury or disease.
  • Injury or disease of internal organs including the brain, heart and digestive organs.

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Under what circumstances would an MRI be preferable?

Advantages of MRIs

In instances when doctors need a view of soft tissues, an MRI is a better option than x-rays or CTs. MRIs can create better pictures of organs and soft tissues, such as torn ligaments and herniated discs, compared to CT images.

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What mental illnesses can be seen with a brain scan?

Brain Scans May Help Predict Future Problems, And Solutions
  • bipolar.
  • mental illness.
  • brain scans.
  • schizophrenia.
  • depression.
  • MRI.

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What do white spots on brain MRI mean?

White matter lesions (WMLs) are areas of abnormal myelination in the brain. These lesions are best visualized as hyperintensities on T2 weighted and FLAIR (Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) sequences of magnetic resonance imaging. They are considered a marker of small vessel disease.

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