Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive, outpatient medical test that provides detailed images of organs, soft tissues and bones. The Wyoming Imaging Center uses MRI to get more accurate images than are available when using other methods, such as x-ray, ultrasound or computed tomography.
Instead of using x-rays, MRI uses a magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed images of body structures. To ensure image quality, patients will be asked to hold completely still during each scan. A typical scan takes mere seconds to a few minutes to record. A Wyoming Imaging Center technologist will ask patients to maintain the same position as much as possible during the entire process.
Wyoming Imaging Center has an anesthesiologist on staff to accommodate patients with claustrophobia and because infants and young children usually require sedation to complete the exam without moving.
Wyoming Imaging Center is home to a 1.5 Tesla open bore MRI. The open bore design gives patients more room, regardless of size. The larger cylinder and short depth of the machine provide a less claustrophobic feel because much of a patient’s head and body is out of the machine during many types of scans.
The higher field strength, 1.5 Tesla, means that the scans are clear, accurate and fast. Scan times vary case by case; however the following scan times should provide patients with a basic idea for how long they will be in the machine at the Wyoming Imaging Center.
Head — 20 min.
Cervical Spine — 25 min.
Thoracic Spine — 20 min.
Lumbar Spine — 30 min.
Lumbar Spine and History of Surgery — 40 min.
Knee — 30 min.
Shoulder — 20 min.
Breast — 25 min.
Carotid MRA — 20 min.
Extremity Run-Off MRA — 20 min.
The entire MRI experience is usually completed in less than an hour, however certain scans can take longer.
Depending on the exam, patients may be asked to fast for 8-12 hours.
Women should always inform their Wyoming Imaging Center physician or technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. MRI has been used for scanning patients since the 1980s with no reports of any ill effects on pregnant women or their babies. However, because the baby will be in a strong magnetic field, pregnant women should not have this exam unless the potential benefit from the MRI exam is assumed to outweigh the potential risks.