Friday, April 30, 2010

MRI: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages
The main advantages of magnetic resonance imaging scans are that :
  • They do not involve exposure to radiation, so they can be safely used in people who might be particularly vulnerable to the effects of radiation, such as pregnant women and babies.
  • They are particularly useful for showing soft tissue structures, such as ligaments and cartilage, and organs such as the brain , heart, and eyes.
  • They can provide information about how the blood moves through certain organs and blood vesssels, allowing problems with blood circulation, such as blockages, to be identified.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantages of magnetic resonance imaging scans are listed below:
  • MRI scanners are very expensive, a single scanner can cost over a million pounds.
  • The combination of being put in an enclosed space and the loud noises that are made by the magnets can make some people feel claustrophobic while they are having a MRI scan.
  • MRI scanners can be affected by movement, making them unsuitable for investigating problems such as mouth tumours because of coughing, or swallowing, can make the image that are produced less clear.
Lastly, people wth kidney disease or dialysis or people who didnt know they had kidney disease are likely to develop an incurable condition called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis from the MRI dye injection gadolinium. NSF causes a hardening or stiffening of the skin and joints.

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