MRI Upper Extremity Joint Shoulder-Elbow-Wrist With and Without Contrast-Left
An upper extremity joint MRI scan is an imaging exam that examines the major joints of the upper body. These include the shoulder's glenohumeral joint, the elbow joint, and the wrist. Your doctor may order an MRI of any upper extremities to examine bones and soft tissues of the body's major joints such as the shoulders, wrists, hands, and fingers. Doctors commonly order upper extremity MRI scans in cases of suspected fractures and dislocations. 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.
An MRI can detect various conditions of the joints like degenerative bone disorders such as arthritis and labral tears, fractures, or abnormalities in the joint due to trauma (like ligament and tendon tears). Other reasons for an upper extremity joint MRI are sports-related injuries due to repeated strain or impact, osteomyelitis, tumors or pain, swelling, or bleeding in the tissues in and around the joints and extremities of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist.
Your doctor may order an upper extremity MRI scan if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Intense pain in the joint
- Visible structural deformities
- A history of physical trauma at the joints
- Bony tenderness at the joints
- Instability
- Suspected dislocation
- Scapula trauma
- Suspected arthritis
- Non-traumatic pain
- A possibility of metastases
- Impairment in the mobility of joints
- Joint stiffness
- Restriction of joint rotation
You do not need to prepare for this exam especially. 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, inform your doctor if you have had a pacemaker so they can use another imaging exam to inspect your joints, 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 before the exam.
The MRI technician will inject you in the arm intravenously with a gadolinium-based dye. The contrast dye will enhance image quality and allow the radiologist to confidently and accurately diagnose. They may also inject you with a saline solution used to prevent blockages in the IV until the contrast dye is injected. The MRI technician will direct you into the position for the scan. They will have you lie on the bench on your back on the movable examination table. You can also ask for a pillow for support or blanket if you have trouble lying on the bench or are in discomfort. They may also use straps and bolsters to help you stay motionless and maintain the same position during the procedure. Small coil-containing objects which can send and receive radio waves may be placed around or next to the joints being examined. The technician will then control the bench's movement from another room. They will also communicate with you through a speaker in the MRI machine. 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 technician 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. The MRI results will allow your doctor to diagnose you with degenerative joint disorders like arthritis or osteoporosis, fractures, or osteomyelitis.
