What Can a Brain MRI Reveal?

If your doctor has ordered an MRI of your brain, we’re here to help. Our board-certified radiologists with REDI Diagnostics Corp in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, are the specialists to see if you need a brain MRI. 

An MRI can rule out or help confirm the presence of a number of serious problems that are affecting your brain. We provide prompt service so you and your doctor have additional information about your condition to help form a treatment plan. 

Conditions a brain MRI can reveal

Following are just some of the many issues that a brain MRI can detect. 

Tumors 

If your doctor suspects a brain tumor, an MRI is the best way to detect it. MRIs provide more detailed information on brain tumors than CT scans. A test called magnetic resonance spectroscopy can be part of the MRI. It compares a tumor to normal brain tissue, which can help reveal the tumor type or growth pattern. 

You may need a perfusion MRI, in which your radiologist injects contrast dye into a vein. This test shows the amount of blood in your brain and tumor. A tumor usually has a larger supply of blood than the normal brain area. It may need the blood to grow. This type of MRI also helps your medical team know the location to take a biopsy. 

Aneurysm 

If you have a severe headache that comes on suddenly, along with changes in your vision, nausea, and vomiting, your doctor may order an MRI immediately. It’s one of the tests used to determine whether you have a cerebral aneurysm. 

Hemorrhage/subdural hematoma

A subdural hematoma means you’re bleeding under the dura, a cushion of tissue around your brain. This is a dangerous condition that puts pressure on your brain. The extra pressure can cut the blood flow to an area of your brain. If it’s not treated promptly, it can be a life-threatening condition. Symptoms are similar to that of a stroke. 

Trauma is the most frequent cause of a subdural hematoma. However, you’re more at risk if you’re on blood thinners or abuse alcohol. 

Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus means you have too much cerebrospinal fluid in your brain. This condition can be either congenital or acquired. If it’s congenital, your baby may have spina bifida or a malformation in the brain. If acquired, it can come from an injury or disease such as a brain tumor or meningitis. 

An MRI provides your physician with important information that helps treat your condition or that of your baby or child. 

Degenerative diseases 

If you’ve had difficulty walking, numbness in your legs, or weakness in your arm or leg, a brain MRI can help determine whether your condition is caused by multiple sclerosis. 

An MRI can also show whether there’s another disease such as an infection of the brain called encephalomyelitis. Encephalomyelitis is thankfully rare, but it can occur after a viral or bacterial illness. 

Call our office or book an appointment online with REDI Diagnostics Corp today for expert service for your radiological needs.