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Any radiographers or MRI nurses here ?

13 replies

gurnerandpooch · 28/01/2024 01:32

I know I just have to wait for the report but

Went for MRI today for head , thoracic spine and cervical spine.

I'm having very odd unexplained neurological symptoms including issues with eye sight , (optic neuritis) jerky limbs, falling over etc

The guy who did the scan said 35 mins in scanner - for everything

I was in there over an hour - does this mean anything?

Thanks

OP posts:
gurnerandpooch · 28/01/2024 10:55

Bump .

OP posts:
Harlechchick · 29/01/2024 05:41

Hi, I'm a Nurse (not specialising in Radiology or MRI).
However, I do have a neurological condition which was diagnosed using MRI, so hopefully I will have enough experience to answer your question.
My first MRI (which included all the areas you state) took around 45mins. The second one, which was a repeat of the first, but also included contrast dye, was the best part of an hour.
My latest one was around an hour too.
So I don't think your experience was out of the ordinary for this type of scan.
I'm happy to share my diagnosis with you by the way, if you wish to know (didn't write it in my opening sentence as I'm reluctant to look like I'm making assumptions & doing an armchair diagnosis!).
Wishing you all the best OP.

DominiqueBernard · 29/01/2024 05:46

I have lots of MRIs (for something else) and they all last a lot longer than 35 minutes.

Did they tell you through the headphones to stay still? You need to be still for them to get a clear image so perhaps with your condition that was difficult?

ExitRamp · 29/01/2024 05:49

Normal time for an MRI is 30 minutes to 90 minutes. It all depends on what they need to look at and if it has contrast or not etc. etc.

BackPainMisery · 29/01/2024 19:22

Ive had a few MRIs.

brain one took 30 mins. Cervical took 15. Lumbar took 15. With movement of coils, repositioning etc I’d expect an hour for what you had done based on my experience. Also depends on the strength of the machine, any movement / positioning.

gurnerandpooch · 29/01/2024 19:27

Fabulous thank you .

OP posts:
gurnerandpooch · 29/01/2024 21:19

Harlechchick · 29/01/2024 05:41

Hi, I'm a Nurse (not specialising in Radiology or MRI).
However, I do have a neurological condition which was diagnosed using MRI, so hopefully I will have enough experience to answer your question.
My first MRI (which included all the areas you state) took around 45mins. The second one, which was a repeat of the first, but also included contrast dye, was the best part of an hour.
My latest one was around an hour too.
So I don't think your experience was out of the ordinary for this type of scan.
I'm happy to share my diagnosis with you by the way, if you wish to know (didn't write it in my opening sentence as I'm reluctant to look like I'm making assumptions & doing an armchair diagnosis!).
Wishing you all the best OP.

Thank you for that - is it MS?

My symptoms all point to ms. My immune system is in overdrive, I've had an optic neuritis, now I'm falling over and my limbs jerk . I struggle to walk .

OP posts:
gurnerandpooch · 29/01/2024 23:07

I was getting slightly uncomfortable in there after an hour and I swear that machine was talking to me 😂

Friend howled when I told her but the noises it made sounded like words and sentences.....I wasn't happy with when it started shouting "dead bird " and "murder " at me .😂

OP posts:
Harlechchick · 30/01/2024 02:12

gurnerandpooch · 29/01/2024 21:19

Thank you for that - is it MS?

My symptoms all point to ms. My immune system is in overdrive, I've had an optic neuritis, now I'm falling over and my limbs jerk . I struggle to walk .

Yes it's MS. I'm afraid your symptoms do seem very similar to my own at diagnosis, but ( and they may have already told you this) there are other conditions which can mimic many symptoms of MS.
I really hope for a speedy recovery/diagnosis and treatable condition for you.
If it turns out to be MS then please don't despair. It's not quite the condition it was, 20+ yes ago, as there's so many drugs available now (although no cure as yet), to make it a 'manageable' condition.

Harlechchick · 30/01/2024 11:06

Yrs, not Yes

gurnerandpooch · 30/01/2024 21:04

The bulk of my frustration is I've been like this 2 years with no diagnosis.

Just when I think they've found the answer it turns out to be a red herring.

It would be a relief to just know and start treatment.

OP posts:
gurnerandpooch · 30/01/2024 21:05

Did you struggle to get diagnosis?

They did an MRI when I had the neuritis but I'd been on 5 days high dose intravenous steroids which I think masked the results .

OP posts:
Harlechchick · 31/01/2024 15:00

Sorry for delay in replying - on the assumption that question is for me!

No real struggle to get a diagnosis, but that's just down to the good luck (ha! 🙄) of having, what I then learned, was a big relapse (totally lost the use of my legs). The MRI scans showed very clear myelin sheath damage. There was also signs of 'old' damage, which I'm led to believe is a different colour (basically very dark, whereas active current damage is much lighter). So I think the Neurologist didn't take long at all (was the n hospital for 4 days, and it was 10 days in total until diagnosis day.

The reason it's not an immediate diagnosis following MRI is because they have to consider ALL other possible causes (as other conditions can display some of MS characteristics - which I'm sure you know!).

If it is MS for you, don't worry about the fact you've already had the IV steroids before having the MRI. Because the damage to the myelin sheath happens when you are getting the actual symptoms - in your case the neuritis - the signs of the damage caused to the myelin sheath on the MRI don't then disappear, even though, to you, you feel 'cured'. Sadly, it's only your symptoms that are helped by the steroids, they are not able to 'reverse' the damage.
It'll all be clear to the Neurologist.
Really hope the above makes sense. I do have a tendency to waffle 😉

& p.s, I've probably had MS for around 10 years or so. The Neurologist agreed that some of the episodes of lack of balance / staggering / walking into door-frames / difficulty writing, all at various times in the last 10 years that seemed to resolve after 3-4 weeks in each case - which is typical of MS, were MS relapses. But of course, all that damage is accumulating into disability as the years pass

On meds now, so with a view to reducing the chances of more relapses and reducing the rate of disability.

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