How do I get an MRI on OHSU's 5 Tesla machine?

[Fluffysmom]

I posted last night, and being sleepy, I posted that OHSU has a 3 tesla; not the most exciting news.  The 5 tesla is, though, since I will be making an appointment with my new neuro there very soon.  I sure would like to have a new MRI done on the 5 T.  Of my spine, too, not just my brain.

I hope the new neuro will actively pursue a diagnosis for me, and that there aren't too strict of rules about who gets to get in the powerful new machine!

Kathy

[sllowe]

Hmmmmmmmm  I think Zilla might be the best one to address this plan....

Sneaky Zill!

How would you proceed ma'am?

-SL

[monotreme]

Hi Kathy,
   I am not trying to be a dissenter of a 5T machine, but Craig being the scientist he is and an engineer, thinks the 5T is too risky.  He is afraid of the pull of the magnet on the cells.  I will ask him more about it tonight, but when I spoke to him a month ago, he told me that he would not have a 5T MRI.   He thinks a 3T is good enough.

  Elaine

[Fluffysmom]

Thanks for letting me know Craig's thoughts on the 5 T; I respect his opinion.  I doubt I will have access to the 5T, anyway.

I went ahead and scheduled a brain MRI w/wo contrast on a 1.5T, to compare with the one I had done in February.  I want to see if the weird eye event left any evidence in my brain, and since my EEG was relatively normal, my PCP had no problem writing the orders.

She even let me decide where to be sent, because I could go across the river to a 3T machine, or she could have tried to get me in up at OHSU.  I finally decided that I want a comparison MRI done on the same machine, hopefully read by the same neuro-radiologist, and in the future will have imaging done on the 3T.

I had a thoracic 3T MRI done, and I got really hot and felt sick for quite a while afterwords.  I think Craig is onto something about the stronger pull of magnets on the cells.  I talked to an Imaging salesmen at a radiology conference that I was a guest at, and he said that the software doesn't keep up with the advances in the strength of the machines, and that causes problems, too.

Thanks for your input, my friend!

Kathy

[Momzilla]

I respect what Craig has to say, too.

My thought was that a machine like that is most likely used for study subjects right now.  I doubt even I am sneaky enough to wrangle an appointment with a 5T.

And, Craig usually makes a heap of sense, so, let's not push things, right?

I would, however, let the scheduler know that your doc really does want you to have your test done on a 3T.  If they ask the reason, simply flip your hair, and say you really don't know/understand....works for me!

Good luck!

Zilla*

[Fluffysmom]

I already scheduled the MRI for Tuesday on the 1.5.  Heck, they were ready to take me tomorrow night, but I'm getting a cortisone shot in my hip at 2 pm, so that wouldn't work.

I figured that when I finally get scheduled with my new neuro, she will probably want new films, and I'd bet that OHSU has a 3T.  I didn't get the call to schedule today, so I'm calling them tomorrow and telling them I'm ready to be scheduled, since she accepted me as a patient and my insurance said that her office had called and verified my insurance.

When I meet her, I'll find out more about the 5T.  I just know that they show a heck of a lot more than even a 3T, and I have a sneaky suspicion that there is something going on with my spine that didn't show up on the 1.5.

Whatever, I'll accept it as it comes.  I'm just glad to be moving again!

Shoot, I just got a haircut, so I don't have a whole lot to flip right now!  I did buy some blond hair color to cover my gray, would that work?

Thanks, Zilla!

Kathy