3 Quick Questions about MRI things

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NYCman

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A.) Which MRI would be best to take a look at my ribs, an abdominal MRI or a T-Spine MRI?

B.) If a regualr X-ray of my thoracic spine was mostly normal, what are the odRAB that an MRI of the same area would show something?

C.) If an abdominal sonogram comes up as normal, then what are the chances that an abdominal MRI would show something?
 
For the 3 different technologies you mentioned, X-ray, sonogram, and MRI, they each have their pros and cons.

X-ray (regular or CT scan) gives you small doses of radiation, is good at detecting body tissues that contain calcium such as bones, but doesn't show soft tissues (discs, ligaments, muscles) very well. Adding dye can help show additional problems such as torn discs (discogram) or compressed nerve roots (myelogram). This is also a very quick test so this is why CT scans are used so extensively for emergency rooms where time is critical.

MRI is good at showing soft tissues such as disc herniations that an X-ray would miss, but doesn't show certain types of tissues well such as nerves. This test is time consuming and expensive.

Sonograms are very safe and work wonderfully for showing certain tissues and movement (heart valve problems, uterine fibroiRAB, babies, prostrate issues), but can't pass through air. Therefore, an abdominal sonogram would pick up certain structures well but the air in your bowels scatters the picture for certain areas. Again, this test is time consuming but not nearly as expensive as an MRI.

What one technology may miss, another one may or may not pick up.

Thoracic disc herniations are much more rare than lurabar or cervical, but they can and do happen. What are your symptoms or suspected problem(s) for which you are seeking answers?
 
I have pain 1-2 inches from the right of the spine in the thoracic region. I also have pain on my side-rib area (also on the right). It hurts more when I breathe deeply, and sometimes it makes breathing more difficult than it should be. Two pulomonologists have ok'd my lungs though. The pain on the right-side rib was the focal point and where I first noticed the pain.

So, as their is no little box to check off that says "Ribs MRI", what would be the best MRI to check my right-side rib?

Thanks.
 
I'm not convinced that an MRI of any kind would be the best test for you. It doesn't sound to me like a problem inside your spine such as a herniated disc is causing your pain.

I would suggest going back to your primary care physician and getting their opinion on what path(s) to go down at this point. There are a lot of possible causes for the pain you are describing - cracked or broken rib, costochrondritis, rheumatoid arthritis or some inflammatory condition, infection, kidney problems, heart problems, etc. It could also be just a minor irritation or pulled muscle/ligament that will heal with time (and some minor things can hurt like crazy!). Your primary care physician would be the best one to discuss this with and they can examine you, run blood tests, and determine where to go from here.
 
Hello Brendaks,

I've been going to my GP, GI, and ER for about 7 months (for the same problem). I have had numerous blood tests and scans. Nothing has come of it. X-rays, Chest Angiograph, Sonograms, HIDA Scan, endoscopy, Colonoscopy, HIV tests, other blood tests, Brain CT, Small Bowel Series, etc.

The only kind of tests I haven't had are MRI.
 
Trymester,

I am not a doctor - I am someone who has been plagued by back problems and have learned a lot about back problems along the way. As I mentioned, what you are describing does not sound like a problem inside your spine to me.

I am also not a proponent of having a test just because it's another test and hasn't been done yet. I really don't know that an MRI would show anything useful for you. The area you are describing near the ribs goes through a lot of motion and has a lot of ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones that need to work in unison. I think there is a very good chance you have pulled or torn some of these tissues, and quite frankly I don't know that anything other than time would heal this. Like I said, though, I'm not a doctor and this is just my personal opinion.

Has this problem made it so that you are no longer able to work? How severe is it? If it is so severe that you are unable to work or barely able to get through the day, then I would suggest seeking additional opinions, perhaps from a Mayo Clinic or something like that. If you do go down this path, fully explain your symptoms, even keep a diary of pain showing when and what makes it worse and show it to your doctor, and let the doctor determine what tests are necessary. Doctors really don't like it when patients demand certain tests and try taking control of the steering wheel away from them - they prefer to work with you to determine what path(s) to go down. You can certainly inquire about having an MRI and seek out the doctor's opinion to see if this would be a helpful test, but I wouldn't demand it.

Otherwise, it sounRAB as though you have had a very thorough workup that hasn't shown any major diseases or conditions to explain your condition. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and I'm not trying to minimize the pain you are experiences in any way - major pain can exist even when few if any medical findings are present. It can be very frustrating to know there is a problem, but not even have a name or condition tied to it to know what you are even up against. It happens more often than you think, though.

Best wishes in getting recovered from this painful and frustrating condition you are battling.
 
I wish it were simple as a torn tendon or pulled muscle, but it wouldn't last for 8 months, so it can't really be that. I also have pain in my spine. My rib area was the beginning focal point of my pain, though.
 
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