MR examination
WHEN IS IT RECOMMENDED?
The MR (magnetic resonance) examination is mostly used for assessing the diseases of the skull, spine and joints. It is also excellent for the evaluation of the neck, chest, breasts, abdomen and pelvis. Blood vessels can also be examined (MRA – magnetic resonance angiography).
The most frequent indications are:
- Headache, vertigo, cerebral events, search for metastases, injuries, spine or joint problems.
- Abdominal, pelvic or breast MR examinations are performed if other imaging techniques (ultrasonography, CT, mammography) didn’t lead to a definitive diagnosis.
- Breast MR examination is suitable for the evaluation of breast implants.
- This modality is also suitable for the evaluation of the effectiveness of radio- and cytostatic therapies.
- A new field of application in MR imaging is the evaluation of the viability of the heart muscle, and also the detection of congenital and acquired cardiac disorders.
FOR WHAT AGE GROUP?
All age-groups can be examined, but sedation or general anesthesia may be necessary in case of infants, children, unconscious, claustrophobic patients and those with involuntary movements.
HOW OFTEN IS IT RECOMMENDED?
As it has no known harmful effects, it can be repeated as many times as the referring physician considers it to be necessary.
DOES IT HAVE ANY RISKS?
MR examination has no known harmful effects.
HOW TO REQUEST AN EXAMINATION?
Referral of a specialist is necessary for an examination financed by the National Health Insurance Fund. Referral of a general practitioner is not sufficient for a MR examination.
Without referral, MR examination can be performed in our private consultation, please refer to our price list.
DOES IT HAVE ANY SIDE-EFFECTS?
If more precise information is needed on the function or the disease of an organ, intravenous MR contrast material can be administered ordered by the radiologist upon professional aspects. However this contrast material doesn’t contain iodine, hypersensitivity may occur. It is mostly mild (nausea, rash, sneezing), it can only rarely be severe. Extremely rarely anaphylactic (hypersensitive) shock may occur. The hospitals are prepared to avert this condition. During pregnancy and lactation, the therapist or the radiologist decides upon the need for MR examination or intravenous administration of MR contrast material. Please, consult them!
HOW IS THE EXAMINATION PERFORMED?
The examination is performed in recumbent (mostly in supine, in some cases in prone position) position. Its only disadvantage is that the patient should lie in a relatively tight space that may lead to claustrophobia. During the examination strange, loud knocking noises can be heard. These noises can be reduced using earplugs (please, ask for earplugs from our colleague!). The examination room is also equipped with a camera and the patient can communicate with the operator through a speaker. If necessary, the patient may ask for help by pressing the indicator button he or she is holding. The examination consists of several sequences. During a sequence (2-4 minutes) the patient has to stay still in the posture set by the operator. During chest and abdominal MR examinations the patient has to hold his or her breath according to the instructions given from the operator through the speaker.
WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE EXAMINATION?
Considering that the examination is performed in magnetic field, patients with pacemakers cannot be examined. The doctor has to make sure that there is no magnetic part implanted (hip or other joint prosthesis, nail, screw, metal valve, neuro- or vascular surgical clip, ear implant etc.) or penetrated during an injury (iron, steel). These can move in the magnetic field causing severe, maybe life-threatening injuries or make the examination invaluable. Nowadays usually non-magnetic implants are used, but in past operations the operating surgeon should be asked about the material he used to determine whether the MR examination can be performed or not. Before MR examination of the skull or viscerocranium, removable braces should be taken out. Metal parts worn on the body (hearing aid, watch, necklace, metal buckle, piercing, false teeth etc.) should be removed as well and pockets (coins, keys, pen, credit card, cell phone) should be emptied as devices operated by electric current or containing magnetic parts may go broke in the heavy magnetic field. Beauty products containing metal should be removed before entering the examination room, because they also can make the examination invaluable. The patient should also administer his or her regular medicines the day of the examination with little water. Fasting is generally not required except for the MR examination of the biliary tract in which case 4-5 hours of fasting is needed.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
15-40 minutes for a body part.
WILL IT BE PAINFUL?
MR examination is painless. If contrast material should be administered, the pain is similar to a needle stick during blood drawing.
WHEN DO I GET MY RESULTS?
The patient generally receives the finding a few hours after the examination. If consultation is needed, this period may be longer.
BOOKING TIME?
- With referral, covered by the social security it is generally 2-6 months.
- For paying patient it is performed in a few days!
Price
Imaging diagnostic examinations are performed for persons with social security, continously paying contributions and allowances or have a valid legal relationship for any other reason in Hungary on the expense of the social insuracnce (SI). The majority of patients makes use of our services as ambulatory care, i.e. as an out-patients. Out-patient examinations have been readily financed by the SI to a certain extent only and this is far less than the real demand would require. With regard to the fact that examinations above this limit are not financed by the SI, most health care instituations and providers – and so do we – take measures to book our examinations. We perform the appropriate amount of monthly financed examinations after summarizing the bookings. But since the demand for imaging diagnostic examination if much higher than what the above limit permits, in some cases patients have to wait for certain examinations several weeks, even months. Naturally, this waiting time doesn’t apply for urgent examinations. Applying an urgent examination is the duty of the referral doctor, after coinsidering the patient’s health status and in the cases of the clinical status of “urgent demand” defined by the law. Inpatient examinations are imaging diagnostic examinations for patients staying permanently in health care institutaions. Theoretically there isn’t any limit for examinations of this type. If the doctor of the inpatient decides that imaging diagnostic examination is necessary for the patient, this still will be performed on the day of such request. In every case the adequately filled out referral and the valid SSN number (social security number) is needed before performing the examination.
The validity of social insurance legal relationship has to be checked in case of every patient.
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