JOINTS

Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis of the Joints is one of the common condition responsible for pain in the Knee and Hip Joints. Other problems of the joints are caused due to traumatic injuries while indulging in some sort of physical activity or sporting activity. Ligament Tears are quite common in the joints. MRI of the Joints is the gold standard for comprehensive diagnosis of the joint problems. In MRI investigation a coil is placed around the part which needs to be scanned. For this reason, both the hips can be scanned simultaneously by wrapping a flex coil around the pelvic region but the other body joints cannot be scanned simultaneously. Best results would be achieved when both the knees or ankles are scanned separately even though the cost in such a situation would double. X-Rays or CT Scan are alternatives to MRI but the results are not as good as an MRI scan. MRI is good for both the bones and soft tissue imaging. MRI has another advantage of not containing any harmful radiation but the cost of MRI can be a prohibitive factor for many people.

Conditions which are diagnosed in MRI Joints Scanning are :

ACL / PCL Tear in the Knee Joint

Frozen Shoulder

Laberal Tear in the Hip Joint

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Rotator Cuff Injury

MRI Joints

Most of the MR Studies for Joints are non-contrast studies and can be done at any time of the day with prior appointment. However if the doctor is suspecting cancer then contrast imaging might be required. During the MRI exam, you would be in a room which has strong magnetic field. You should not be wearing any jewellery and should inform the technician if you have any kind of implant inside your body. In any case our technician would be checking you with a metal detector before taking you inside the magnet room. The study would take around 15-30 minutes to complete.

You are advised to leave your mobile phone, wallet and all clothes inside a locker which is provided to you. You would be given a hospital gown to wear for the test. There is a humming sound which resembles the sound of a running train while the exam is going on. You would be given ear plugs to minimize this sound. You would be required to go inside a cylinderical tunnel and lie still while the exam is going on. On completion of the test, you can change into your own clothes and leave for your home. The MRI Joint exam will produce several hundred images which will be reviewed by the radiologist and the report would be made available within 24 hours of the scanning.

Best Centre and Cost

We have state of the art 1.5 tesla MRI Machine from GE. The quality of imaging also depends on the quality of coils, channels in the machine and specialized applications for doing the scanning. Finally the quality of reporting is of paramount importance in any MRI Imaging. At Krishna Diagnostics we have the optimum combination of all these factors. Patients who require extensive testing like MRI brain and whole spine would do better to go for 1.5 Tesla as the imaging time is lesser. Since MRI joints is done for various reasons hence technician and radiologist both need to be highly qualified and trained for reporting the diagnosis. At Krishna diagnostics our technician is trained in performing regular scans as well as specialised scans like MRCP and angiography.

The cost of MRI Joint (Single Joint) at our centres is in the range of Rs. 5000 for non contrast imaging. In case doctor suspects growth or tumour like Giant Cell Tumour in the bone then patient may require a contrast scan. In that case patient has to come in fasting for MRI. Atleast 4 to 5 hours of fasting is required for the proper test. If contrast is needed then additional amount of Rs. 2500 is charged for the test.