MRI
Here at Beacon medical we offer a state-of-the-art MRI clinic helping patients take control of their health and wellbeing. An MRI scan can examine almost any part of the body and can help identify and diagnose a variety of conditions.
As well as being a source for diagnosing illnesses, MRI scan results can be used for managing treatment plans and assessing the effectiveness of previous treatments. MRI scans are commonly used for the brain, spinal cord, bones, joints, abdomen, pelvic region, heart and blood vessels, breasts and more.
What is MRI?
An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan is a common, non-invasive and painless procedure. An MRI scan uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body. They are very useful for looking at soft tissue structures, for example muscles and ligaments.
Visually, an MRI scanner is a large tube that contains powerful magnets. You will be asked to lie inside the tube throughout the duration of your scan. Although you may find it uncomfortable if you have claustrophobia, no evidence has been found to suggest there’s any risk associated with an MRI, which means that MRI scans are one of the safest medical procedures available.
FAQs
- HOW TO ACCESS THE SERVICE?
- DO I HAVE TO DO ANYTHING BEFORE AN MRI APPOINTMENT?
- WHAT HAPPENS DURING MY APPOINTMENT?
- WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY SCAN?
- WHEN WILL I GET MY RESULTS?
All patients require a GP referral before being seen for an assessment. We accept referrals to the service via the NHS E-referral service. Other healthcare professionals, such as ENT consultants can also refer directly to us for further investigation. We cater to all patients in Manchester, Heywood, Middleton, Tameside and Glossop.
We will ask you some safety questions when you book your appointment, and you will need to fill in a safety questionnaire that we will send you with your appointment letter. Please remember to bring this to your appointment.
Unless we let you know, you do not need to make any special preparations before your MRI scan, and you can continue to eat and drink as normal and take any prescribed medication.
On arrival a member of staff will meet you and explain the procedure to you. We will check your safety questionnaire and then give you the opportunity to ask any unanswered questions you may have.
You will be asked to lie down on the MRI table, and we will ensure you are as comfortable as possible. The Radiographer will position you so that the part of the body to be scanned is in the middle of the scanner; you will be asked to stay as still as possible. MRI scanners are quite loud, therefore you will be provided with ear protection prior to the commencement of your scan.
An MRI scan is made up of a series of three-to-five-minute scans (dependent on the area being examined). The radiographer operating the scanner will guide you through the procedure, talking to you briefly between each scan. If you have any difficulty, you will be able to use an emergency call bell which will be available to you at all times during the procedure.
An MRI scan is painless and most last around 30 minutes; however, some can take up to two hours, depending on the size of the area being scanned and the number of images being taken.
Once your scan is complete you can continue to eat and drink normally. You can drive yourself home afterwards or return to work if you need to. Due to the non-invasive nature of the scan, there are no known side effects, therefore, you can continue as you would normally.
A radiologist will check the scan results shortly after your appointment and will send a report to your doctor or consultant. At the time of your appointment, you will be told how long this should take.
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