MRI scan full spine

Why get a MRI scan of the back?

About 80% of people suffer persistent back or lower back complaints. Straining of the back or an incorrect movement of the back are possible causes. A proper examination is very important to get a clear image of the complaints: the sooner, the better. MRI is an examination technique with which hundreds of images of your back are created by using a large magnetic field. It is a very detailed photo of your back and spinal cord, that provides a physician with a better view of any possible abnormality or disease (such as hernia, stenosis or a tumour) than on an X-ray.

How long does it take to get a MRI scan of the back or lower back take?

Anyone wishing to have an MRI scan performed via the regular healthcare channels often has to deal with long waiting lists. With Prescan, you never have to wait too long to obtain greater clarity on your health. We can help you with an MRI scan of the back or lower back – without referral - within just one week. You learn the result the following week after the examination. You therefore know where you stand. Should there be any reason, we will relay the results to your own physician. You receive the recorded images on a CD-ROM.

During the examination, the MRI scanner creates a large number of images of your back (including your neck vertebrae, middle back, lower back and complete spinal cord) by using a large magnetic field. Cross-sections can be created in this way. The computer presents the images as slices to facilitate subsequent assessment of the results. Our specialists can view the images at any random angle, allowing them to observe details from 5 mm.

The magnetic field and radiofrequency waves are not harmful to your health. During scanning, you lie on a comfortable couch, which is pushed into a kind of tunnel that is open at both the front and back. If you find lying in the tunnel claustrophobic, you may have someone with you in the MRI room. A nurse will be on stand-by to provide information and, if necessary, put you at ease. In addition, during the MRI scan, you have a bell you can use to interrupt the scan in case of emergency.

The duration of the MRI examination depends on your situation and can vary from 30 to 60 minutes.

Could the result be a hernia?

A hernia is a very common cause of persistent back complaints. With a hernia, a bulge of an intervertebral disc pinches a nerve. This can happen because of ageing, trauma or straining. Severe painsymptoms are often the result, but not all patients with a hernia feel persistent pain. However, this just depends on where the bulge is located.

The presence of a hernia can be confirmed by a back scan. An MRI scan of the spinal cord can make the hernia and the pinching of the nerve root more visible than is the case with an X-ray.

Benefits

• Scan in our clinic within one week
• Medical specialists
• Direct contact with the GP
• Examination without referral
• Includes a CD-ROM with images