Mra test what is it

X-ray imaging tests, including the pros and cons of each test, how they compare to CT scans, how much they cost, and…. Paracentesis is a procedure to remove excess fluid from the abdominal cavity. This fluid buildup is called ascites. Learn about preparation, recovery…. Learn more. An abdominal film is an X-ray of the abdomen. This type of X-ray can be used to diagnose many conditions. Learn more here. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. MRI vs.

MRA Medically reviewed by J. Keith Fisher, M. Takeaway Overview. What is an MRI? What is an MRA? Why an MRA vs.

You lie down on a table. The table slides in and out of the MRI machine. The technologist may use straps to gently hold you during your test to help you keep still. You may hear loud tapping, thumping, banging or knocking noises during the test. The machine makes these noises when creating the energy to take images. You may ask for headphones to listen to music or earplugs to muffle the noise. You can talk to your technologist during your test.

The MRI testing typically lasts between 20 and 90 minutes , depending on the body area your doctor is requesting. Here at Health Images, an MRI takes about 30 to 60 minutes on average, unless your physician orders your MRI with contrast, which could make your exam last longer.

Our MRI scanners are not small restrictive tubes or tunnels, so you have less chance of feeling claustrophobic. If you do begin to feel claustrophobic, tell your technologist, who will do what they can to relieve your anxiety and help you feel comfortable. Inform your doctor if you possess any metal-based gadgets or devices that could cause problems with the test. These include pacemakers, pacing wires, inner ear implants, cerebral aneurysm clips, TENS units and implanted neurostimulators.

MRA stands for magnetic resonance angiography and is a medical test that helps doctors diagnose medical diseases and conditions of the blood vessels so they can treat them. An MRA produces images of your major blood vessels in your body and health professionals may combine it with any one of these three imaging technologies:. MRA scans can be performed with a contrast material or without. If required, the technologist administers the contrast material in a vein of your arm through a small intravenous IV catheter.

Inside the machine, the radio waves and magnetic fields surround your body, creating images. While the scanner is running, patients can expect a great amount of noise. Pregnant women should not receive gadolinium contrast unless absolutely necessary.

If you are breastfeeding at the time of the exam, ask your doctor how to proceed. It may help to pump breast milk ahead of time. Keep it on hand for use until all contrast material has cleared from your body about 24 hours after the test. However, the most recent American College of Radiology ACR Manual on Contrast Media reports that studies show the amount of contrast absorbed by the infant during breastfeeding is extremely low.

If you have claustrophobia fear of enclosed spaces or anxiety, ask your doctor to prescribe a mild sedative prior to the date of your exam. Infants and young children often require sedation or anesthesia to complete an MRI exam without moving. This depends on the child's age, intellectual development, and the type of exam. Sedation can be provided at many facilities.

A specialist in pediatric sedation or anesthesia should be available during the exam for your child's safety. You will be told how to prepare your child. Some facilities may have personnel who work with children to help avoid the need for sedation or anesthesia. They may prepare children by showing them a model MRI scanner and playing the noises they might hear during the exam. They also answer any questions and explain the procedure to relieve anxiety.

Some facilities also provide goggles or headsets so the child can watch a movie during the exam. This helps the child stay still and allows for good quality images. Leave all jewelry and other accessories at home or remove them prior to the MRI scan. Metal and electronic items are not allowed in the exam room. They can interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI unit, cause burns, or become harmful projectiles.

These items include:. In most cases, an MRI exam is safe for patients with metal implants, except for a few types. People with the following implants may not be scanned and should not enter the MRI scanning area without first being evaluated for safety:. Tell the technologist if you have medical or electronic devices in your body.

These devices may interfere with the exam or pose a risk. Many implanted devices will have a pamphlet explaining the MRI risks for that device. If you have the pamphlet, bring it to the attention of the scheduler before the exam. MRI cannot be performed without confirmation and documentation of the type of implant and MRI compatibility. You should also bring any pamphlet to your exam in case the radiologist or technologist has any questions. If there is any question, an x-ray can detect and identify any metal objects.

Metal objects used in orthopedic surgery generally pose no risk during MRI. However, a recently placed artificial joint may require the use of a different imaging exam. Tell the technologist or radiologist about any shrapnel, bullets, or other metal that may be in your body. Foreign bodies near and especially lodged in the eyes are very important because they may move or heat up during the scan and cause blindness.

Dyes used in tattoos may contain iron and could heat up during an MRI scan. This is rare. The magnetic field will usually not affect tooth fillings, braces, eyeshadows, and other cosmetics. However, these items may distort images of the facial area or brain. Tell the radiologist about them. The traditional MRI unit is a large cylinder-shaped tube surrounded by a circular magnet.

You will lie on a table that slides into a tunnel towards the center of the magnet. Some MRI units, called short-bore systems , are designed so that the magnet does not completely surround you. Some newer MRI machines have a larger diameter bore, which can be more comfortable for larger patients or those with claustrophobia. They are especially helpful for examining larger patients or those with claustrophobia.

Open MRI units can provide high quality images for many types of exams. Open MRI may not be used for certain exams. For more information, consult your radiologist. Instead, radio waves re-align hydrogen atoms that naturally exist within the body. This does not cause any chemical changes in the tissues. As the hydrogen atoms return to their usual alignment, they emit different amounts of energy depending on the type of tissue they are in.

The scanner captures this energy and creates a picture using this information. In most MRI units, the magnetic field is produced by passing an electric current through wire coils. Other coils are inside the machine and, in some cases, are placed around the part of the body being imaged.

These coils send and receive radio waves, producing signals that are detected by the machine. The electric current does not come into contact with the patient. A computer processes the signals and creates a series of images, each of which shows a thin slice of the body. The radiologist can study these images from different angles.

MRI is often able to tell the difference between diseased tissue and normal tissue better than x-ray, CT, and ultrasound. Procedures use contrast material to clearly define the blood vessels being examined by making them appear bright white.

The technologist will position you on the moveable exam table. They may use straps and bolsters to help you stay still and maintain your position. The technologist may place devices that contain coils capable of sending and receiving radio waves around or next to the area of the body under examination. MRI exams generally include multiple runs sequences , some of which may last several minutes. Each run will create a different set of noises. If your exam uses a contrast material, a doctor, nurse, or technologist will insert an intravenous catheter IV line into a vein in your hand or arm.

They will use this IV to inject the contrast material. You will be placed into the magnet of the MRI unit. The technologist will perform the exam while working at a computer outside of the room.

You will be able to talk to the technologist via an intercom. If your exam uses a contrast material, the technologist will inject it into the intravenous line IV after an initial series of scans. They will take more images during or following the injection. When the exam is complete, the technologist may ask you to wait while the radiologist checks the images in case more are needed.

The technologist will remove your IV line after the exam is over and place a small dressing over the insertion site. The entire examination is usually completed in approximately 60 minutes once imaging has started. Most MRI exams are painless. However, some patients find it uncomfortable to remain still. Others may feel closed-in claustrophobic while in the MRI scanner.