Multiple sclerosis is a chronic health condition in which there is damage to myelin, the covering that protects the nerve cells in a person’s brain and spinal cord. The damage is visible on an MRI scan (MRI high pressure medium injector). How does MRI for MS work?
MRI high pressure injector is used to inject contrast medium in medical imaging scanning to improve image contrast and facilitate patient diagnosis. An MRI scan is an imaging test that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create an image by measuring the water content in tissues. It does not involve radiation exposure. It is an effective imaging method that doctors can use for diagnosing MS and monitoring its progression. An MRI is useful because myelin, the substance that MS destroys, consists of fatty tissue. Fat is like oil in that it repels water. As an MRI measures water content, areas of damaged myelin will show up more clearly. On an imaging scan, damaged areas may appear either white or darker, depending on the type of MRI scanner or sequence. Examples of MRI sequence types that doctors use to diagnose MS include: T1-weighted: The radiologist will inject a person with a material called gadolinium. Usually, gadolinium’s particles are too large to pass through certain parts of the brain. However, if a person has damage in the brain, the particles will highlight the damaged area. A T1-weighted scan will cause lesions to appear dark so that a doctor can identify them more easily. T2-weighted scans: In a T2-weighted scan, a radiologist will administer different pulses through the MRI machine. Older lesions will appear a different color to newer lesions. Unlike on T1-weighted scan images, lesions appear lighter on T2-weighted images. Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR): FLAIR images use a different sequence of pulses than T1 and T2 imaging. These images are very sensitive to the brain lesions that MS usually causes. Spinal cord imaging: Using an MRI to show the spinal cord can help a doctor identify lesions that occur here as well as in the brain, which is important in making an MS diagnosis. Some people may be at risk of an allergic reaction to the gadolinium that T1-weighted scans use. Gadolinium can also increase the risk of kidney damage in people who already have some decrease in kidney function.
Post time: Aug-15-2023
