How is the MRI of the brain performed with contrasting

1 What is magnetic resonance imaging with contrast

The method of magnetic resonance imaging, widely known to the public under the acronym MRI, is a method of research by which it is possible to detect a large number of pathological changes occurring in the human body.

Magnetic resonance imaging examination is a leading place among innovative diagnostic methods. This is due primarily to the high degree of informativeness, the accuracy of the data obtained and their medical reliability.

What is the magnetic resonance examination of the head using a special tomograph? How does it occur and does it have contraindications?

During the study, the magnetic field is affected by the brain's head region. It allows you to display a three-dimensional picture of the organ under study on a computer monitor. Initially, this is a set of layered photographs, the thickness of which does not exceed a few microns, then they overlap each other to form a three-dimensional image of the brain.

It should be noted that magnetic resonance imaging using a tomograph may involve the introduction of a contrast agent. What is the difference between MRI and contrast and without it?

Preference for contrasting is preferable when it is necessary to study oncological tumors, as it not only increases the possibilities of the diagnostic procedure itself, but also provides accurate information about the tumor status, its size, internal structure, and most importantly helps to determine whether there are signs of metastasis.

The time interval between the divergence of the contrast agent and the return of the signal during the examination is largely dependent on how intense the blood flow in the area is.

The very same contrast is the salts of gadolinium. They are very effective and perfectly dissolve. This substance differs from its analogues with low toxicity. But still, do not underestimate the percentage of self-toxicity of salts, so their use in pure form is excluded. In medical practice, chelate complexes having a high gadolinium ion content are advantageously used.

This substance, being a contrast, acts as a kind of indicator of compound pathological disorders in the brain tissues. Accumulating exclusively in abnormal damaged cells, contrast has the ability to detect tumor formations. These include:

• benign tumors;
• malignant tumors;
• cyst;
• metastases.

In addition, the use of magnetic resonance scanning with the use of contrast makes it possible to reveal many more various tumor formations in the brain, disorders and changes in the degenerative nature. MRI with contrasting is an indispensable assistant in case of necessity of differentiation of a benign tumor from a malignant one.

A contrast-enhanced study using a magnetic resonance imager does not pose a threat to the patient in the form of pain. The examination proceeds absolutely painlessly and is usually well tolerated by them, unless, of course, there is an allergy to the substance being administered.

Amplifier is administered intravenously by injection. Preliminary calculation taking into account the weight of the patient, his age, growth and well-being.

Obtained tomography images, informing the doctor about the state of the brain, help him visualize possible pathological changes and determine the necessary path of treatment.

2 Area of ​​research

Of course, MRI allows to obtain excellent diagnostic results due to the good contrast of the organs and their tissues. But sometimes there are cases when there is an urgent need to improve the accuracy and high information content of magnetic resonance imaging. This can only be achieved with the introduction of a contrast agent.

With the help of contrast enhancement, it is possible to significantly increase the diagnostic effect in the practice of identifying and accurately determining certain types of lesions and diseases. Among others it is possible to single out:

• brain traumatization;
• cancers( malignant) tumors;
• meningiomas and other types of benign neoplasms;
• is a genetic disorder;
• diseases caused by damage to the body's immune system;
• diseases of infectious etiology;
• neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system;
• Alzheimer's disease.

The last item on this list requires special attention, since this disease is incurable. It is characterized by a gradual dying of the nerve cells, which leads to the extinction of mental abilities, as well as memory and speech. Cells of the brain can not be restored, so the only option is to temporarily stop the development of the disease. That is why high-precision magnetic resonance diagnostics with contrasting is of particular importance here.

Conducting a modern diagnostic examination using MRI with contrast allows early detection of pathological changes, as well as a correct diagnosis, and accordingly, and choose the most appropriate and effective in each case, treatment.

In addition to the above indications for the use of magnetic resonance scanning, there are a number of additional applications. For example, using this diagnostic method, the process of determining the possible presence of such diseases as stenosis and vascular thrombosis or suspicion of their presence, migraine and headaches of unclear etiology, tumor phenomena in the pituitary gland - adenomas, is much simpler.

A special advantage over other diagnostic methods for magnetic resonance imaging with a contrast agent is the detection of microscopic neoplasms, including microadenomas.

3 Contraindications to this diagnostic method

But it should be borne in mind that, despite the clear advantage of this method of research, it has a number of contraindications. By the way, magnetic resonance examination is quite difficult to pass to people whose weight exceeds 100-150 kg. This is because the tomograph simply can not withstand such a mass.

Among the contraindications, you can also find epileptic seizures, claustrophobia, panic attacks.

The indisputable contraindication is the intolerance of the contrast agent.

It is not possible to apply this type of diagnosis if the patient has metal and electrical implants, since the magnetic field can damage them.

Another disadvantage of magnetic resonance imaging by contrast is its high cost relative to conventional MRI.But no material costs should not be commensurate with the ability to preserve one's own health, and sometimes life.