I AM GETTING 2 MRI's IN 2 HOURS AND NEED ADVICE 1)THORASIC & 2)CERVICAL..WILL EITHER ONE SHOW ANY HEART/ARTERIES PROB

[pollie]

I have posted here before about having severe tightness with chest pain in the middle of my chest that then travels to the Right side of my jugular vain where it throbs and the it travels to my Right ear. It last a good 10-20 mins. when it happens and it has gone without diagnosis. On another note I have severe neck pain with bad bad headaches and I have a tremendous amount of memory loss and numbness in my left leg when I sit or lie down and also on my right side arm and leg. I had a xray of my neck that showed a few things and now I am going tonight for 2 MRI's. One is of my cervical and the other is a thorasic MRI. I am curious if the thorasic MRI will show any abnormalities of my heart or the arteries  (if any arteries might be clogged) or am  doing these long MRI's for nothing. Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. Thank You

[tanns]

The test I had was different from the normal treadmill test in that the adenosine acted like the physical stressor as if I was running on the treadmill.  I meant that it would stress the heart so that  ischemia could be noted and also seen during the MRI as they imaged while the adenosine was injected (contrast being injected as well).

By the way, it's not a test I will EVER have again or recommend anyone having.  That adenosine was NASTY stuff!!!  Just thinking about it gives me the heebies!!!

[pollie]

YOU SAY THE STRESS TEST THAT INDUCE'S ISCHEMIA?? MY STRESS TEST SAID THEY FOUND PERIODS DURING THE TEST WHERE THEY FOUND SLIGHT ISCHEMIA?? SO NOW I AM CONFUSED AS I THOUGHT THAT ISCHEMIA MEANT SOMETHING MIGHT BE WRONG ?? THANKS

[*Robin*]

I agree with what Tanns said.

An MRI of you're Thoracic and Cervical Spine won't show any abnormalities with your heart. I think the only MRI to show that would be a Cardiac MRI, which specifically looks for heart abnormalities.

I'm not familiar with MRA's, so I'm not sure about what they look for.

[tanns]

I just had a heart MRI/MRA.  It was with adenosine (for the stress part--to induce ischemia) and gadolinium for the contrast of the arteries.  I also have had a thoracic MRI which showed nothing in relation to the heart.  I mean, maybe it showed it was THERE or maybe if it was big (don't know about that though).  But they specifically have to be imaging the heart to get details of the heart.

I wouldn't say that you are doing the MRI's for nothing, not if you are having numbness and neck pain.  It should show if there is any pinched nerves or if the verterbrae COULD be pinching the nerves.  That was what my thoracic was for--they thought my chest pain could be related to nerves being pinched in the thoracic area of the spine.  They weren't.

Good luck to you and don't forget the earplugs!!!

[pollie]

thank you to all... I am on my way out........God Bless

[pollie]

THE WOMAN AT THE MRI PLACE SAID THAT THE THORASIC MRI WOULD SHOW MY ENTIRE CHEST WALL AREA AND THE ORGANS PLUS MY ENTIRE BACKSIDE BEHIND THE CHEST AREA SO NOW I AM VERY CONFUSED......

[pbanders]

The only way your MRI's are going to show aterial detail of your heart is if they're done with contrast (gadolinium) - this is an MRA (mag resonance angiogram).