3Tesla...........

[mae1]

I'm seeing another ms specialist next thursday to descuss continuing Tysabri and to also get my regular scheduled mri on the new 3 tesla machine. this is not to switch doctors, my neuro is sending me there. this is the only place that has the new machine and he wants a second oppinion on rather we should stay with the Tysabri.

I'm nervous something will go wrong that she wont let me use the new machine....(just in my head I'm sure)....

my ? is for those who have had a mri on the new machine, could you share the caparison with me from the 1.5 to the 3tesla?????????
thank you for your time..
hugs
April

[Quixotic1]

Mand makes a point that I meant to make and forgot.  If you are using the MRI to make some sort of decision about whether therapy is working or not you should definitely have the MRI done on the same strength machine (and preferably the same machine itself).  You have to compare apples to apples.  Yes, if you see more lesions on the 3T machine you will have no idea if they were always there, but not seen or if they are new.  This can result in your losing confidence in a treatment that was actually working.

This is one of the times when moving to a higher resolution machine can be very detrimental, and I would NOT recommend it.

We have also seen the opposite happen.  The neuro used a lower power machine and rmeoved MS from consideration, stating there was no difference between a 1.5T and the 0.3T open machine.  Dododoc.

Thank you so much for making this point!

Quix

[Mand125]

I have thought about this a lot and hopefully Quix or someone will put me right if I am wrong.

If previous MRIs were done on a 1.5 tesla and you are on DMDs - then they do an MRI on a 3 tesla machine, might this show up lesions that did not show previously and therefore give the impression that the MS is getting worse when it isn't?

I would be worried that this could lead to a neuro saying that the DMDs didn't appear to be working and stop them.

Thoughts anyone?

Cheers
Mand

[Quixotic1]

Hi, I'm sure you've already heard my story, but on back to back spinal cord MRIs, the first on a 1.5T and the second on a 3T:

I had ZERO lesions on the 1.5T.

I had SIX lesions on the 3T, 2 in brainstem, 2 in cervical spine and 2 in thoracic spine.

'nuf said?

Actually, my neuro had seen a couple ratty areas on the 1.5T that he pointed out to me.  They weren't distinct, and the radiologist had not seen them.  It was like the pixels weren't as homogeneous in a tiny area.  Those areas were clearly demarcated lesions on the 3T.  No new lesions were seen in my brain.

The spine is notoriously hard to image and my neuro won't look at a spine MRI on less than a 3T unless he is forced to.  We have heard other neuro's say the same thing.  Dr. K also specifies a 3T when he is making a statement about really determining if a patient "has no lesions."

I have less faith than he does about whether the 3T is the "end all."  The next jump in strength appears to be the 7T.  In the couple of comparisons I have seen, the 7T can pick up lesions that are invisible on the 3T.  There are very few 7T machines out there for use on the public.  I'm not usre they have had final approval from the FDA.  Anyone know?

Quix

[Sunnytoday]

check out my profile for the 3 T pics, and also, I too did get very warm in the 3 T
~Sunnytoday~

[doni54]

Hi Mae,

From everything I've read here and in other articles, the 3T is much, much better, especially when dealing with spine MRIs.

There is lots of talk about the new 7T MRIs that are just starting to be used and they are said to be great!!

All my MRIs were done on a 1.5T and if I had known this, I would have waited until I could have had them done on a 3T.

Good luck, sweetie!!  Keep positive!!!

Hugs,
doni

[mae1]

Heather I'm more curious as to the comparison of the lesions seen from 3t to 1.5..
thank you..
hugs

[Heather3418]

I just had a 3T done in December.  I am hot natured.  As with all MRI's that I have had done, I have had to ask for a couple of heated blankets.  I was freezing during the MRI.

Kathy...you say that you were hot?  I'm confused.

As anyone else had the experience of being hot during an MRI on a 3T?  This is the first I have heard of it.

Thanks,
Heather

[mae1]

thank you very much for sharing your experience...........
hugs
april

[Fluffysmom]

I've had an MRI of my thoracic spine done on a 3T; the pictures were amazingly clear.  This was for back pain, and a year before my brain MRI showing lesions, so nothing was noted about the spinal cord, though I could see a patchy area that was noted over a year later on a 1.5 as artifact.

If you're talking about the difference in what the machine feels like, in my experience, it made me feel very hot; I sweat through the scrubs they had me wear.  There was a strongly scented fabric softener on those scrubs, so the smell of that made me feel a little sick to my stomach.

I had a 3T MRA of my brain and neck done at another facility, where they had fans blowing on me, so I didn't overheat at all, and was perfectly comfortable.

I hope you have yours done at a place where they make sure you're comfortable.  Ask ahead of the test, and if they don't have fans and there's a possibility of you overheating,  maybe they'll let you have your MRI with just a sheet over you, to keep you cooler.

If you have heat intolerance, you want to stay cool in there.

Take care,

Kathy