Terrified of MRI. Can I get dx of MS without it?

[tuesdayschild]

I am so incredibly claustrophobic that the thought of an MRI makes me want to pass out.  One of my doctors I saw during a recent hospital stay thinks i might have MS.  I am willing to do just about any testing in the world other than MRI.  Is it possible to get this diagnosed or ruled out without the imaging??

I'm seeing a new neurologist tomorrow; of course, the one I saw in the hospital isn't on my plan! :-)

Thanks for your input.  I've been reading like crazy so I have some educated questions for the doc tomorrow.

[LisaJF]

We all can relate to the "sick to death of the whole thing".  However, I believe you should change neuros, but that is just "my" opinion.

Continue onward, because.....you have to for your health.

Lisa

[tuesdayschild]

No. I'm stuck in waiting-for-authorization limbo.  Thinking about changing neurologists.  Based on what I've heard here and from people I know who have MS I'm thinking one who wants to diagnose or exclude MS specifically wouldn't be using open no matter how claustrophobic I am.

Frankly, I've barely gotten started and I'm sick to death of the whole thing...

Shelby

[cainer]

hey- have you had it yet-- gosh -i didnt realize the open mri= wasnt good at picking up signals- what did you find out??  hope all is well!!  but yeh my sis- well one of them shes bad- its like she cant breath-  hope you got through it ok!!

[Doll555]

I go to a newer place that has the 3.0.  The best part for me is they put eye goggles on me and I can select a tv show, movie,music videos, or nature sounds. It makes the time go by fast and I stay so focused on the comedy I choose that I forget I am enclosed. They do interrupt me every 3 to 5 minutes to check on me and pull me out for the injection but the goggles stay on until I am done so I never have seen the inside of the MRI. I have had 6 mris in less than a year. Not fun but I agree I would rather have that than another lumbar puncture.

[Sumanadevii]

Perhaps your neuro really doesn't think you have MS?  I doubt any that did would allow an open MRI to dx it.  So maybe he/she is looking for something else.

Just my opinion.

[Deb61]

I had an MRI on an open unit and it was negative and didn't show the lesions I had with the 1.5 T MRI.  It was a waste of money and delayed my diagnosis for years.  I wouldn't do your MRI on an open machine, but to get one done on a machine with sedation.  

Not all LPs are created equal, either.  I've had one and didn't have a good experience.  My sister has had probably about six.  She didn't have any problems until the last one and found herself grounded in bed for two weeks.  I would rather have a thousand MRIs before having another LP.

[twopack]

I got to an MRI appointment once and found out I was scheduled in an open scanner.  I told the tech I was hesitant because this was to look for MS lesions.  He told me if he was in my shoes he wouldn't have an MRI for check for MS in an open scanner.  I cancelled with the intent to reschedule.  The same tech called over to the hospital unit and got me scheduled in for an hour later.  I was grateful but would have waited as long as necessary rather than have the useless test done.

I'm really surprised your neuro thinks it's a better idea to use an open scanner than give you some valium and get useable images butI hope you get some helpful info.

Mary

[COBOB]

The signal to noise is so poor on the open magnets, they are only really only useful for joint work (orthopedics.)   In my opinion, it is a waste of your money and time to do brain imaging on anything less than a 1.5 T.  I'd rather have my Valium and be done on a 1.5 Tesla machine.  If there was any hint that these might be spinal lesions (cervical/thoracic,)  you might even look into a 3.0 Tesla unit.  Open MRI is useless for spinal cord imaging in MS, in my opinion.  The spin signal is buried in the noise.

Bob    

[tuesdayschild]

So I saw the neurologist and he's sending me to an open MRI, with and without contrast.  Depending on what that shows we might need an LP.  I'd personally rather do the LP first; had them before (had meningitis back in the 90s) and I'd rather have the pain than the claustrophobia.  Guess I need to just suck this up and do it -- or table getting a firm diagnosis.  I'm almost inclined to just let it go since so many people take so long to GET a diagnosis and the MRI does NOT seems to be the go-to test that everyone says it is.  Mine could be normal today and show lesions in a year or two....

Frustrated and scared...  and grateful for your input.

Tuesdayschild

[COBOB]

Open MRI are typically listed as 1 Tesla but really have an effective magnetic field of about 0.75 to 0.80 Tesla.  Closed MRI are typically 1.5 Tesla, although many more of the 3.0 Telsa units are showing up.  

The Image quality is only indirectly related to the "Tesla" of the magnet.  As the number of of the Tesla goes up, the value of the Larmor Frequency for the H1 proton goes up (42.58 MHz/Tesla).  Much of the image quality involves the ability of the MRI machine to listen for the "hum" of the H1 proton spin, and the higher the frequency, the easier it is to pick that hum out of the background (higher signal to noise ratio.)  The magnet only "spins up" the proton, the software can suppress unwanted signals (fluid, fat, etc.) of apply different mathematical filters (Diffusion Tensors, Fast Fourier Transformations, etc.)   It is all of the magic performed by the "Ghost in the Machine."

Bob

[mj111169]

I did the open MRI and am not sure it is much different clausterphobia wise.  I still haven't had a closed MRI, it has been over a year and i'm sure if I am ever going to get any definitive answers I will have to eventually get myself into a closed MRI machine.  I will most certainly ask for something to relax me, because I also hyperventilate at just the thought of having a MRI.  

Good luck to you!

[jorbsid]

Except for my very first MRI for a lumbar issue, I have always taken Valium for my MRI's.  It is very helpful.  The last MRI I didn't take it soon enough and the first 10-15 minutes was a challenge, but once the medicine kicked in - it was a breeze.  Wouldn't do it any other way.

I had an open-sided MRI once and I still felt claustrophobic and the images were terrible so it was a waste of time and money.

As Julie said above, I would take MRI's over an LP any day!

[grannyhotwheels]

The only problem I've ever had with the MRI machine is I fall asleep and the tech keeps having to wake me up...haha... I don't know what it is about that thing but it makes me so sleepy...

I'll be praying,
Carol

[jujuminx]

I feel your pain. As the others have said, Valium works great.

You gotta do what you gotta do and you gotta do this.  Think postive, use the drugs, imagine it all going smoothly and know that this pretty much the only way they have to give you the answers you need.

In spite of my hatred of the MRI machines, I would take them anyday over an LP.  If I had to do that I would but if I had a choice between the two, I would take the MRI.

Good luck and thank goodness we have advanced medicine that enable dr's to perform tests and procedures that help make MS dx's.

Julie

[Quixotic1]

First off - Open MRIs are not powerful enough to reliably pick up smaller MS lesions.  That isn't to say that some people with large lesions haven't been diagnosed with an Open MRI.  The problem arises when the Open MRI doesn't show any lesions.  You have spent all that money and you don't know anything.  You can't rely on the test being truly negative.  The good MS neuro will not accept an Open MRI.

Conscious sedation is quite common when doing MRIs.  This is sedation that takes you to La La Land, but is not total anesthesia.  You can call around and find which centers will do this.  They are almost always within a hospital.

Aheart is correct.  Though you are in a tunnel it is completely open at your feet and just above your head.  They will play music if you want.  There are mirrors available so you can see out.  A fan circulates the air and AT ALL TIMES you can talk to the technician.  They can pull you out at any time for an emergency.

I told you all those things to show that you aren't really caught in a closed area - like an elevator.  Still I would recommend sedation if they offer it and a good dose of something like Valium if they don't.

If MS is really a possibility for you an MRI is pretty mandatory.  It is the really rare neuro that will make the diagnosis with first doing an MRI.  There is no other test that presents better info.  However, if the Lumbar puncture is very, very positive, maybe....just maybe....there is a rare neuro who who forgo the MRI.

Quix

[cainer]

hi-- my sister is- they about have to put her out- maybe a open mri?? would it be better?? hugs!!

[aheart]

I do not suffer from claustraphobia, but I can tell you what it's like in there having three myself. If it's being completely boxed into an area you cannot get out of that is you biggest fear, don't worry. An MRI is opened ended and remains so throughout the procedure. If you can learn to relax completely and go to your "happy place" and you may want to keep your eyes closed too, that's up to you. You can do this! You really can!
Like suggested above, a little help with the relaxation part couldn't hurt either! Good luck hon!

[Sumanadevii]

I do the same thing as Bob.  It helps also to have a washcloth placed over your eyes.

[COBOB]

I suffered through my first MRI.  Since then (I've had two more,) it is Valium for me.  10 mg of Valium, and I could not care how small that bore is in the MRI.  Just ask your doctor.  Most are very accommodating and will write a script for a few Valium or Zanax.

Just make sure you bring someone to drive you home.

Bob