Elbow MRI examination
With the help of an elbow MRI examination, the doctor can see the state of the three bones meeting in the elbow, lesions following trauma, inflammation of the mucous tubes (bursa), the amount of fluid accumulating in the bursa, and diagnose tennis elbow.
With the help of an elbow MRI examination, the tendons, cartilage, the condition of the periosteum, the inflammations and the changes caused by them become visible to the doctor.
What types of diseases does elbow MRI scan help diagnose?
Elbow MRI can diagnose several types of diseases. Your doctor may request an examination if you have the following complaints or illnesses.
- rheumatoid arthritis
- tennis elbows
- edema
- bleeding
- inflammation
- accumulation of fluid
When it is advised to carry out the examination?
Your doctor may consider an MRI scan of your elbow if you have long-standing local pain, reduced mobility and stiff limbs in the morning.
How to prepare for an elbow MRI examination?
In all cases, it is recommended that your treating physician be consulted for details prior to the MRI examination, although the native examination does not require special preparation.
On the other hand, it is important to know that due to the strong magnetic field, it is forbidden to bring a device or object containing metal into the examination room! This applies to jewelry, piercings in the body, and some makeup products may also contain a substance that affects the success of the test.
Prior to an examination carried out with contrast agent, specialist consultation is essential. Kidney function laboratory results showing creatinine and carbamid values are also required to perform this type of examination. In the case of a contrast agent examination, you should not eat for 6 hours before the examination.
How is it performed?
Following the pre-examination information, the operator will take you to the MR examiner room and then ask you to be seated on the examination bed. The operator adjusts the correct body position, places the coils required for the test, and then the test bed inserts you into the magnetic tube. It is important to remain still during the test, you can only change your body position on the instructions of the operator. The examination takes an average of 30 minutes, while you can communicate with our staff continuously through the built-in microphone and speaker. The machine makes a loud, rattling sound that can be reduced with ear protection.
When is it not possible to perform an elbow MR scan?
- The test cannot be performed in the first trimester of pregnancy.
- The test cannot be performed if you have MR incompatible metal, implant, prosthesis (pacemaker, orthopedic metal material (screw, plate, nail, wire), implanted joint prosthesis, artificial limb, implanted defibrillator, neurostimulator, implanted drug dispenser, vascular implants (e.g., clips, vascular occlusion devices), ear implants, metal foreign body (e.g., projectile, splinter), other electronic implants) in your body. Therefore, in the case of an implant, implanted metal, prosthesis, please bring a certificate of its suitability for MR examination (certified by the implanting specialist, institution) for the examination itself, which clearly states: the ability to enter the MR examination room, to perform MR examination and marking the maximum magnetic field strength (1.5 Tesla, 3 Tesla) available for the device or implant. Inform the person performing the test about the implant before the test.
- If the subject weighs more than 200 kilograms, it also depends on the circumference of the abdomen.
- If contrast agent is used, if the eGFR of the renal function is below 45 ml / min, the examination can not be performed.
What to expect after the examination?
The finding alone is not a diagnosis. After the elbow MR examination, please always consult a specialist with the result.
The contrast medium used for MR examination is gadolinium-based. In rare cases, hypersensitivity may occur, which may occur in the form of an allergic reaction.
When will the result arrive?
The completed recording will be reviewed by a radiologist and the result will be available in our online system after 5 workdays.