Abscess wound and MRI scan

[bringthecactusin]

Hoping there's a radiologist around who can help advise me.

Long story, had surgery on massive bumcheek abscess 8 months ago, and there's been endless complications since and I've been left with a unhealing wound which has hit a sinus, so there's just endless watery clear fluid leaking out. We're now at a point where Consultant is discussing further surgery by a few different possible methods, to hopefully sort wound and hopefully get rid of it once and for all.

Some days my wound is good, some days it's bad. After lots of activity it's tends to swollen and painful with a hard lump under the skin, like fluid build up. If I rest this disperses within a day. It's currently pain free, no lump, and relatively happy as wounds go. Just more deeper internal stuff going on, which I can't know from surface level.

I have an MRI this afternoon and consultation within a week after. I'm not sure what's best for my wound.....to present for the MRI with it swollen and hard (giving worst case scenario picture) or free from fluid build up (which might lead to clearer more defined images) as it is now?

The scan is 6.30pm. I have enough time to go for a long walk round IKEA which will get it "worse case scenario". Would I be unreasonable?

YABU - Shed loads of fluid around the wound won't be good for the MRI. It'll be pointless as it'll make it all fuzzy they won't be able to distinguish anything.

YANBU - Go round IKEA and make it worst case scenario wound so surgeon can see it at its worst.

I have no idea how MRIs would pick up the images. I've tried to contact the Radiology dept to ask but no-one has got back to me.

Obviously was far too specific a question!! 🤣

I'll post this reply for the very very small chance that someone in the future searches to find the very same overly specific answer!

I arrived an hour early and asked the Radiologist when he came out between Patients. I said I could do for an hour's walk round the hospital grounds to increase the amount of fluid build up around the remaining wound. He said there was no need to try and influence the wound and they'd pick up the issues regardless. I think he was very concerned I'd be in a lot of pain if I did that. Anyway, he confirmed afterwards that he'd got good images and said he'd have asked me to change position sightly and redo it if there was any issue, but there wasn't.

My cousin is going through this too. There are support groups on-line. I hope you belong to one as this situation is pretty grim. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this and hope you get things sorted.