UPright MRIs

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apartipilo

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I've heard of this new technology for diagnosing spinal pain that's unexplained.
The theory is this: if you suffer from low back pain when standing or sitting but not so much when lying down, that's pain in a weightbearing position or when your spine is under load. It makes sense to me to take a scan when you're in the most pain, not when you're lying down in a CT scan or MRI tube. They're more likely, I think, to be able to see what's causing your pain when you're actually in pain than when you're not. Your spinal anatomy changes in different positions. For example, let's say you have a badly degenerated disc that doesn't do it's job very well, i.e. cushioning your vertebrae and allowing enough space for the nerves to pass through those tight holes called foramina. Perhaps, when you stand or sit, that bad disc is under such load that it collapses down a millimeter or two, causing a pinching of the nerves. Possible??? That could explain why I have pain in weightbearing but very little when I lie down. I'm encouraged by this new technology and I'm planning on getting this MRI done to provide some information that, so far, a conventional MRI / CT is not providing. Anyone have any thoughts?? The only potential downside is that they say the power of the upright MRIs are much less than the lying-down tube MRIs. They say the picture quality is not as good. I called a few places that do this and, of course, they're going to refute this-- they want your business. But who is right???
 
I've had 3 MRI's in my life. About 10 years ago, I had a tube MRI with a 1.5 Tesla magnet strength. Then had a Tube MRI with a 3 Tesla magnet strength in a newer machine 2 years ago. Was sent for another one in an upright machine last year-it had a magnet strength of only .6 Tesla.
This could be important in diagnosing things like arachnoiditis, which is what I have. Even to my untrained eyes, the upright low-strength machines films are of inferior quality. Kind of like watching a cheap TV, or an old VHS tape vs. a DVD. It can make a difference in what can be seen.
I didn't know how vastly different the magnet strengths were until I did research after the fact. Would not have gotten the upright had I known. Hope this helps.
 
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