What Is An MRI Brain Scan And What Does It Do?
An MRI brain scan is a non-invasive medical test. It’s used to diagnose medical conditions and for several other purposes. The MRI brain scan uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to take pictures of what’s going on inside your body. These are often used when treating brain problems and researching how the brain works.
The Advantages Of MRI Brain Scan Over Other Methods
There are several reasons why many doctors prefer to use MRI brain scanning instead of other methods. For one thing, they can see things that x-rays, ultrasounds, and CT scans can’t. They’re also safer for patients because they emit no radiation. The procedure is also painless.
Uses Of MRI Brain Scanning
This technology is used for two purposes. The first is to do research on the brain and how its different parts work. They can find out which areas of the brain respond to which sensations or handle which functions (called “brain mapping“).
MRI brain scanning can also be used to assess the damage done by trauma, stroke, or degenerative disorders, or to monitor the growth of a brain tumor. It can also be used to examine the causes of headaches and treat other chronic disorders.
What’s It Like Getting Scanned?
The MRI brain scanner is in the shape of a giant donut with a tunnel going through it. The donut part is an extremely powerful magnet. When you’re going to get scanned, you lie down on a table and it slides you into the tunnel. It’s a pretty strange experience but there are lots of things they can do to make it comfortable.
How To Enjoy Your Brain Scan
It takes 30 minutes to an hour for the scanner to do its thing. That’s a pretty long time to be lying on a hard metal table. Plus, for best results, you’re not supposed to move. In many cases, they give you a pillow to lie on. They might offer headphones so you can listen to music and some scanners even have a TV set. If it’s hard for you to sit still, they can also give you medicine to help sedate you. During the MRI brain scan, there is an intercom inside the machine so you can talk to them whenever you want to.
What The MRI Brain Scanner Does
While you’re lying there, the scanner sends radio waves into your body. These waves manipulate the positions of the atoms in your body. The MRI brain scanner then projects a clear image to a computer screen. During an MRI brain scan, the technicians are usually looking at the result on the computer in another room.