Archive for the ‘Diagnosis’ Category

New “Open MRI” Technology

See the full interview with Phyllis Newfield

 New "Open MRI" technologies have been introduced to the market and now persons suffering from chronic back pain or spinal stenosis, lumbar stenosis, low back pain, sciatica, and virtually all other types of back pain can be evaluated by an MRI without having to climb into a claustrophobic cyllinder. The new "Open MRI" scans the patient while he or she is standing.

p>I can personally attest as a sciatica sufferer myself that one of the things I most fear is getting an MRI. I mean I truly dread it even though I know it provides invaluable diagnosis of my back problems. And I don’t even suffer from claustrophobia, but it still makes me seriously stress out. This is truly good news!

What exactly is an Open MRI?

Open Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Open MRI) is an advanced diagnostic imaging procedure that creates detailed images of internal bodily structures without the use of ionized radiation (x-rays). Open MRI is able to produce these detailed images through the use of a powerful magnet, radiowaves and a computer. MRI can assist physicians in detecting and diagnosing diseases or other abnormalities in very early stages.

INSIGHT IMAGING is dedicated to the emerging technology of low-field, patient-friendly magnetic resonance imaging systems. Claustrophobic, obese and pediatric patients, along with those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, are often able to comfortably undergo MRI examinations in these "open architecture" systems while failing to tolerate traditional "closed" MRI systems. Open systems are quieter and more comfortable for patients. Open MRI systems are rapidly becoming a preferred choice for many healthcare consumers. 

This new "Open MRI" is fully covered by most health insurers at no additional cost vs. the older "traditional" MRI technology used all other imaging centers.

Stand Up or Sit Down and Watch TV during your Open MRI scan!

Fear of claustrophobia or being squeezed into a tube is non-existent in the totally open MRI scanner.

http://www.washingtonopenmri.com


High Field Stand-Up MRI vs. the Traditional Open MRI

Washington Open MRI now has the revolutionary high field full-body Open MRI scanner that can scan back pain patients in the sitting or standing position.

The new Stand-Up Open MRI technology allows you to watch TV during your Open MRI scan!

Fear of claustrophobia or being squeezed into a tube is non-existent in the totally open MRI scanner.
The world’s Patient-Friendly scanner  available at Washington Open MRI’s Stand-Up Open-MRI centers.
 
This technological breakthrough is second to none in the MRI imaging world, and fully reimbursed by all insurance carriers at no additional cost to the patient.

The revolutionary open MRI scanner features the only MRI-compatible, motorized, multi-positional, patient positioning system, which has been engineered to be fully functional Inside the scanner’s magnetic field. It can position the patient for the full range of conventional "lie-down" MRI scanning, or upright for weight-bearing studies. The full length of the spine can be imaged in the normal weight-bearing posture, even with the patient touching their toes for full flexion images of the lumbar spine. Unusual patient positions that are impossible on conventional "lie-down" MRI scanners are routine on Washington Open MRI’s new Stand-Up Open MRI.

The patient positioning system is tilted back slightly in order to stabilize the patient and avoid body motion during stand-up scanning. Patients can be positioned facing the poles, which enables a large range of motion for scans of the shoulder. Scans can also be obtained with lateral flexion of the lumbar spine NO OTHER MRI can perform this diagnostic procedure.This new Stand-Up Open MRI is based on FONAR’s proven high-field technology, and FONAR is the PATENT HOLDER for MRI scanning technology – all others license this proprietary technology fror their MRI equipment. So who do you think will always be at "the cutting edge".The combination of the transaxial magnetic field and any of FONAR’s array of high signal-to-noise solenoidal surface coils is one of the key reasons why the new Stand-Up Open MRI is second-to-none in image quality. And as FONAR is the patent-holder of this technology Its full range of advanced software features and state-of-the-art pulse sequences provide unparalleled diagnostic precision.

In Modern Medicine…

Often an upright position is the only position in which the patient’s issues can be diagnosed. Certain cardiovascular and neurological disorders can only be properly diagnosed when the patient is upright. The same is true of the GI tract and the spine and joints, including the upper and lower back, neck, hips, knees and ankles. With the revolutionary MRI’s unparalleled ability to "see" soft tissues, Stand-Up Open MRI gives physicians a more global view of pathology and its impact on function.

From the perspective of medicine, Stand-Up Open MRI provides a dramatic view of the body’s interior. For the first time, Washington Open MRI brings to the medical practice the newfound ability to see all the body’s organs and tissues in their normal position of function – upright.

For more information visit us on the web at:

http://www.washingtonopenmri.com

Published by Relief For Back Pain

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Diagnosing Back Pain

                 Free Back Pain eBook and Video 

Lower back pain is a painful condition that can put people out of work for weeks and reduce their ability to do basic activities like climbing stairs or getting in and out of bed.Even putting on your shoes or pants can be a painful ordeal.  Low back pain is responsible for a vast majority of workman’s compensation issues.  And, fortunately, chronic or acute lower back pain is preventable by maintaining good strong and flexible back muscles.

Self Examination

When you’ve injured your lower back there are several things you can do at home to help start treatment. Ice your back for the first 3 days and don’t stay in bed. Take take over the counter analgesics like ibuprofen to help decrease the pain. But if these measures  don’t significantly reduce the pain in 3 days time it’s time to see the doctor.

See A Doctor

Lower back pain can be a result of several different factors and it’s up to the doctor to find the cause so that the best treatment can be recommended.  The doctor will start with a thorough medical history and physical examination.  This will help them to identify any dangerous conditions  or family history that could be associated with the back pain.The doctor will  ask when the pain started, where it started and the severity of the pain, how long the pain lasts and how it feels.  The doctor will ask about limitations in movement and will also ask the individual to make movements that may or may not elicit the pain.

Doctors may also run blood tests to look for possible reasons not to order specific medications or other reasons that the individual may be feeling back pain.  If the doctor isn’t able to determine the reason for the back pain through medical history and examination he or she may also recommend imaging tests.

diagnostic testing back pain

Diagbostic Tests
There are several types of diagnostic tests your physician might ask you to take:

  1. X-Rays.  X-rays are pretty conventional but some of the more enhanced methods can help diagnose back pain.  The x-ray looks for broken bones or an injured vertebra. It will will show the bony structures and any vertebral misalignments.  Other tissue injuries such as muscle or bulging discs are not visible in these imaging tests.
  2. Discography. A discography is an imaging test where a technician injects a special contrast dye into a spinal disc that the doctor believes is causing the low back pain.  The dye will outline the damaged area on x-ray and is suggested for individuals who are considering undergoing a lumbar surgery or whose pain hasn’t responded to conventional treatment.
  3. Myelograms. Myelograms are another imaging technique that improves the diagnostic imaging possibilities.  Contrast dye is injected into the spinal canal which allows the spinal cord and any nerve compression by a herniated disc to be seen on x-ray.
  4. Imaging .Computerized tomography (CT) is a painless imaging process used when the doctor believes that a disc has ruptured, there is spinal stenosis or damage to the vertebrae is suspected.  This is a specialized test and requires an expensive machine that will be located at an imaging center or hospital.
  5. MRI.  A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test is used to see more soft tissue than the CT scan will normally show.  It is also more expensive than a CT scan.  MRI scanning will look at tissue and nerves, muscles, ligaments and blood vessels.  Radio waves are passed through the body using a magnet.  The images are passed to a computer which slices the images and differentiates between bone, soft tissue and fluid filled spaces.

Other imaging scans may include elctrodiagnostic procedures such as EMGs.  Doctors may use bone scans or ultrasound imaging to look for ligaments, muscle, tendon or other soft tissue masses in the back that could be causing low back pain.

Published by Relief For Back Pain

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