MRI Ankle With And Without Contrast
An ankle MRI scan with contrast is an imaging exam of the ankle joint where the foot and leg meet. The ankle (talocrural) joint is a synovial joint formed by the bones of the leg (tibia and fibula) and foot (talus). You may get a contrast solution IV for this procedure to allow the MRI machine to see your ankle. MRI scans utilize radio waves and magnets to capture photographs of the soft tissue (like organs and muscles) and bones inside your body to allow doctors to diagnose complications in your knee and knee joint.
Ankle MRIs are a frequently ordered imaging exam since ankles are the most frequently injured joints of the body. This procedure provides a systematic view of the complex ankle joints and is ordered to diagnose various complications like sprains, fractures, tendonitis, and arthritis. A twisting of the ankle can often cause a sprain of the ankle ligaments. Most of these are minor and easily curable with ice and rehabilitation. But if the sprain is severe, it is necessary to perform medical imaging such as a contrast MRI to look for ligament tears and rule out fractures and cartilage injuries.
Symptoms may vary with the specific type of injury. Your doctor may order an ankle MRI scan with contrast if you have:
- Pain
- Tenderness
- Inability to put weight on your ankle
- Problems walking
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Worsening pain on the heel
- Thickening ankle tendon
- Worsening swelling
- Loud popping sounds from the heel
There is no need to prepare for this exam. However, you have to change into a hospital gown and remove jewelry and piercings before the scan. Tell your doctor if you have artificial heart valves, implants, plates, prosthetic joints or limbs, or stents in your body since an MRI machine uses magnets. Also, let them know if you are allergic to any dyes. Also, tell your doctor if you have a pacemaker so they can use another imaging exam to inspect your ankle, such as a CT scan. However, some models are re-programmable, so they're not a hindrance to the scan. If you're claustrophobic, being in the MRI machine can be triggering. In this case, you can get anti-anxiety medications or even be sedated for the exam.
For this MRI, a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCAs) is used, a type of MRI dye, to add clarity and decipherability to your MRI image. A nurse will inject the dye intravenously into your arm before the scan. Then, the MRI technician will have you lie on your back on a padded table in the MRI machine. The technician may use pillows or support to make your knee more comfortable during the test and help keep your ankle still so the machine can take the most precise MRI images. The technician will then control the bench's movement from another room and slide the table into the MRI machine. They will also communicate with you through a speaker in the MRI Scan machine. The process usually takes half an hour to an hour. The machine will make some loud and repetitive humming noises as the MRI image is obtained. You have access to a call button in case you become uneasy during the test. If you are sedated, your heartbeat, breathing, and oxygen levels will all be monitored during the exam for your safety. The MRI technician may ask you to hold your breath for a few seconds during the exam.
The MRI technologist will give your MRI images to a radiologist trained to interpret scans and write a report on them. Your doctor will then receive the report and discuss it with you and explain the findings. Usually, this will take one or two days; however, if the MRI was done on an emergency basis, the MRI facility could provide the results quickly.
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