Why would you have an MRI?

[demotedreally]

An older man I have some responsibility for is having an MRI this week. He says it is part of routine tests but I'm not sure if that is a routine test.

Why do people have MRIs?

None of your beeswax. His medical information is his own. Stop fishing.

It's a standard diagnosis test, so from that perspective it's "routine". However, people tend not to have them unless there is something wrong with them that the doctor is trying to diagnose, so from that point of view they are not routine.

An elderly lady I used to care for had an MRI due to kidney stones.
The MRI pick up an ovarian cyst and something unusual in the bowel. A few more tests were done and she was given the all clear, nothing found was going to kill her in the short term or needed further treatment.
MRI scans do seem to be used as a MOT for some people.

For all sorts of things. I had an MRI for my back having managed to rupture two intervertebral discs in my lower back. Sciatica is not fun, you'll feel like you want to saw your leg off.

I had an MRI for a suspected brain tumour (no tumour thank god).
And recently for a lump in my knee that they couldn't diagnose with an ultra sound.

Couple of helpful replies there thank you! I suspect it is not his ovaries but could be something like suggestions. He is the type to play down health concerns though, so worth keeping an eye on!

So you think people should only have scans if they definitely have something serious wrong with them, and not - say - to rule something serious out?

You're not a great loss to medical science, are you?

Thanks for joining to be rude @MissLucyEyelesbarrow , very helpful

At least I'm not on here, nosing after private medical information that someone clearly hasn't chosen to share with you.

I had an MRI on my knee when I was a teenager before I had minor surgery.
They use it to look at things that can't be seen on ultrasounds and X-rays.

My sister has them on her head annually as she has MS.

Two complete different ends of the spectrum. You can't possibly know why he needs one.

Lots of potential reasons, some more critical than others. If it becomes relevant for you to know you will find out.

Depends on what he is having the mri on , how is his memory? They do mri after seeing the memory clinic but it could literally be any part of him!

Having one on Wednesday. I’ve had sciatica for four months now and back problems far longer.

Headaches.

If he wanted to tell you he would surely?

Thanks this is (sort of) helpful - but really it doesnt narrow it down at all clearly!! sorry for all the sufferings, especially the suspected brain tumour @Hellohah
Im glad it was ok in the end.

I can rule out things like sciatica as his mobility is fine, and I dont think it is memory, although I could be wrong of course.

Prostate

I had one when I kept getting painful spasms in my neck. They found some iffy cartilage and not much else.

There comes an age where they will give you quite an extensive MRI for a small issue. When the results are analysed they will also look out for all sorts of other stuff (they'll notice if he has ovaries 😉)

Some people over share medical stuff and some people under share. Some people catastrophise and some minimise. Just keep communications open and ongoing.

I had a MRI for a knee injury.

My dd had one for scoliosis

I had one for total hearing loss in one ear

There comes an age where they will give you quite an extensive MRI for a small issue.

Do you work in the field of MRI @PestorPeston ?

I had one for a broken back.

I have had 3, one to look for brain tumour negative, one to look for MS negative and one as have breast cancer to get a clearer picture before surgery.

Could be anything? I've had three, mostly central nervous system. Suspected brain tumour. The kind of things a ultrasound wont work on