I had a T-spine MRI last month and the tech was not able to get all of the contrast in my vein. She said it was rolling around and was only able to get about half of the contrast in.

It really did hurt! I am wondering if that could make a difference in wheter or not the MRI could pick up lesions.

Hi LA

As I recall, the reason they use contrast in our brain MRI's is to see if there are any "active"/inflammed lesions. I guess it might stand to reason that it would be done for the same reason in our spine.

I had (my only) brain and spine MRI's done without contrast, and the results in both instances, showed lesions. Whether they were "officially" inflammed or not, I'm not sure . . . but I had 'em.

They were able to measure my spinal lesions, and confirm which one caused me to be paralyzed (at the time).

Based on my experience, they do not need contrast to see the lesions, only to see if they are active. However, they can determine if they are by our symptoms too though, and a MRI is not even necessary (once dx).

Hope that helps. (Maybe Rex will come around and provide more technical input. )

Cherie

When I had my spinal MRI in december of 2006, they werent able to get all of the contrast in...the nurse who had drawn my blood the day before had blown the one good vein I had.

But, when they got the results back from that MRI, they were able to see something there. I went back for another MRI a week later, and that's when they were able to see what the something(s) were. Two relatively active lesions on T12 and C4.

I get the feeling they're not so active now, but I was really surprised that they found them at the time.

My T spine scan was without contrast and they were still able to find some. As stated earlier, contrast is mainly to find out if any of those leisons are "active". They light up under contrast if they are.

Thanks for the responses on this. I alreay have a dx so I guess it does not matter.

I had a couple of lesions on my brain MRI this summer. One old and one new. I am surprised nothing showed on the spine MRI because I do have the MS hug and my lower body is much more affected than my upper.

It just made sense that a lesion might be somewhere along my spine. But,,,,this is just a weird thing I guess.

I'm kind of suprised to read that the Doctor's orders would be disregarded because a tech couldn't hit your vein. Good news that nothing showed in your spine though.

They're not disregarding doctor's orders if you only have one good vein and it gets blown on the first attempt of starting the IV. I dont know how it went for the original poster, but it hurts when they keep trying to stick you with the IV multiple times.

Erin I hear what you are saying but all I can say is that in my experience if the Physician orders contrast, blood draw etc. we'd have a team on your veins until someone hit the spot.

yeah, but if the patient is in pain from being stuck repeatedly, the patient has the right to ask them to stop hurting them.

Absolutely but I don't recall the OP stating they requested them to stop because of the pain. I was only referring to the OPs experience as I understood it.