Having a Brain MRI done with PCS
 

The specialist I am seeing ordered this for me and I had it done the other day. I can honestly say it was one of the worst things I have ever gone through.

It was 30 minutes long and the noise was excruciating for me. I immediately questioned the specialist's judgement for subjecting me to the type of experience/pain to my injured brain. I almost involuntarily squeezed the "call" bulb they put in your hand while your inside the machine.

I'm happy to have had the test done. There just has to be a better way for a PCS sufferer. A less painful way. I had ear plugs and the technician added cotton padding to the outside of my ears which may have helped somewhat.

I seriously think they should have some type of heavy sedative available for people suffering from concussions and PCS that need to have an MRI done. Personally I would even do general anesthesia if it were available and didn't affect the image results.

Has anyone else had an MRI done with a concussion or PCS?

Any thoughts on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I've had two done. The last one a couple weeks ago and I'm suffering horrible sound sensitivity.

I wore my earplugs and the earmuffs they provide over them and had no issues. You weren't offered earmuffs or headphones? They've used them at all three MRI facilities I've been to. If not, that's pretty messed up. That kinda noise would bother a lot of non pcs sufferers.

Ear Protection/MRI sounds
 

I think they put ear muffs on. I'm trying to remember.

First I had ear plugs, they she put cotton padding, and then I think she put ear muffs over my ears. I was just trying to be a good "subject" :) when all this was being done.

I'm wondering now if some MRI machines are louder than others. I've had several back MRI's done as well as a shoulder and I don't remember them being nearly as loud.

Of course, the magnets I guess are closer to my head with a brain MRI or however it works so that could explain part of it.

I've had 6 MRI's. Some offered foam ear plugs. The earlier one's did not. Now, they do have non-magnetic ear muffs. Many are offered anti-anxiety drugs to help with claustrophobia. If you do not struggle with claustrophobia, they would not normally offer drug assistance. Anesthesia is used for some, especially children who do not have the discipline to hold still.

It is extremely rare that an MRI will show anything from a concussion. Standard 1.5 to 3 Tesla hospital scanners have a spatial resolution of about 1 millimeter, covering about 10 000 neurons, and a time resolution of about a second.

It requires a 6 or 7 Tesla magnetic field to begin to see the anatomy of a concussion. It takes 10 Tesla to start to see the fine damage so that they can develop treatments and drugs from their observations. Those MRI scanners can cost $100 to $270 million dollars.

MRIs
 

Hi CenterIce,

I agree with you! I have had 3 done since the summer, (concussion in 9/14), and they were brutal. It was not concussion-related, so I didn't even think to mention that. It does depend on the facility so I have ruled one out. Probably doing that all day desensitizes the personnel.

I was not offered earmuffs either, but will remember that for June.

Take care,
Grace

Brain Results Normal
 

Thanks Grace. I hope you can get earmuffs next time. Hopefully you won't have to do too many more MRI's. I know I'll be holding off as long as I can.

My results came in and my brain is normal, btw. Good news!

Your brain is normal from the MRI's perspective. That means no major or serious issues. But, a standard MRI looks at 10,000 neurons (about 1 cubic millimeter) as if they are one. It averages the image of those 10,000 that it sees over the space of a full second to come up with a computer generated image of averages.

It is good news but does not over-rule the symptoms you are experiencing. They are real.

A DTI MRI would show evidence of a struggling brain by seeing pathways of waste that are fuller than normal. Sort of like seeing an oil stain on the driveway. It tells you there is a problem. It just does not tell you what that problem is. An fMRI would show areas of over-use and under-use meaning the brain is out of balance in its function. A high Tesla (6 or 7 T or higher) MRI would possibly show evidence of fine damage but not life threatening damage.

MRIs
 

Thanks Mark. I didn't realize there were so many types of MRI's. I appreciate you pointing this out.

Thanks also for putting neurons into perspective (10,000 neurons =1 cubic millimeter). Boy, we're talking small stuff here.

I'm having an mri/mra. Is this going to help ? Not sure what he's looking for. I also INTERCRAINAL HYPER TENSION. so maybe that's why he ordered it. So are we saying this will not help to know if my brain is still suffering ? I know it is but , u know how people say it's all in your head.

There are many things that an MRI or MRI/MRA can rule out. I've had an MRI/MRA. It focuses on looking at the vascular structure. It can generate a 3D image of the blood vessels where an MRI only generates a 2D image of slices. I have the image files of most of my brain imaging since 2001.

They can find aneurysms, Chiari Malformations, and other vascular irregularities.

For those interested in the specifics of an MRI/MRA, they are a double MRI. The first images all the tissue. The second images all the tissue except the vascular tissue. Then, they subtract the second image from the first and the remainder is the vascular tissue.

They cannot image the vascular tissue only but they can take an image that leaves only the vascular tissue out.

The other way to do this is with a contrast dye.

There are a few other techniques also used, especially since my MRI/MRA in 2004.

Those that struggle should be aware of the vast improvements MRI's are. During Christmas vacation of 1970, I had a brain scan. They injected me with a mercury based contrast then had me lie perfectly still for 45 minutes while an x-ray machine slowly made passes over my head. I passed out from the contrast and it took a minute for them to get me back.

MRI's are a cakewalk in comparison.

A tip if you are claustrophobic.. When you lie down on the bed, ask for a warm blanket. Hold your arms close over your belly. Close your eyes. Now, think of nice open places as you go into the tunnel. By keeping your elbows from touching the side of the tunnel and not seeing the confines because your eyes are closed, you can trick your mind into ignoring the confines of the tunnel.

I am horribly claustrophobic and have had many MRI's without anxiety by using this system.