Contents
The wrist is a vulnerable and often injured part of the human body. You can damage it even without falling, harm to the joint can be caused by working with the mouse at the computer for a long time, which is commonly called “tunnel syndrome”. If a person experiences pain in the area of the wrist joint, he should immediately undergo an examination. Most often, magnetic resonance imaging is used to diagnose this part of the hand. This type of scanning is the safest and most painless for human health.
The purpose of applying the methodology
First of all, MRI of the wrist joint is prescribed for patients after wrist injuries. Also, this examination can be prescribed in case of pain in this part of the arm.
This procedure can reveal various disorders and pathologies, including traumatic injuries of various structures, foci of inflammation, arthrosis, neoplasms and blood flow disorders.
Magnetic resonance imaging is a versatile and informative diagnostic method that clearly displays all the structures of the area under study. These include cartilage, tendons, blood vessels, ligaments, bone and soft tissues. At the moment, this method is considered modern and most accurate.
Indications for the procedure
Often, MRI of the wrist joint is prescribed by medical professionals not during the initial diagnosis, but to clarify, confirm the diagnosis and previously obtained data.
In addition, this method is mandatory in the preoperative and postoperative periods. This is necessary in order to evaluate the result of the surgical intervention, as well as to assess the dynamics of the recovery period.
Magnetic scanning is necessary for hand injuries. This is one of the main types of diagnosis for a pinched nerve or tendon. In addition, the procedure can be prescribed if the patient has diseases of the ligamentous-muscular apparatus: hygroma, phlegmon. Scanning is also prescribed for problems with the joints. These include diseases: arthritis, gout, arthrosis. An MRI is also performed when neoplasms are diagnosed in the wrist area or there are suspicions of their presence. The purpose of conducting a survey in such cases is to assess the size, nature and prevalence of the process.
Contraindications to the procedure
Despite the fact that the procedure is one of the safest, there are still some recommendations that should be followed.
The procedure cannot be administered to pregnant women in the first trimester. The restriction on the diagnosis may also apply to children, more often up to 5-7 years. This is because they will not be able to lie still during the MRI. Also, the procedure is categorically not recommended for people in whose body there are any metal devices. These include pacemakers, neurostimulators, hearing aids, prostheses and implants. It is worth noting that we are talking specifically about metal parts, because some types of devices are not attracted by a magnet and in no way affect the procedure. Approved devices include titanium, ceramic and plastic products.
An MRI of the wrist joint cannot be administered to people who suffer from hyperkinesia. This is a disease that involves uncontrolled movement of the body. Also, the procedure cannot be applied to people who suffer from claustrophobia. An exception in this case can only be the use of an open-type tomograph.
Procedure
Special preparation for an MRI of the wrist joint is not needed, but there are some important nuances that should be followed. Remove all metal jewelry, glasses and watches. The specialist may ask the patient to change into disposable medical clothing, so dress as comfortably as possible. Before the procedure, the patient should tell the doctor about a possible pregnancy, fear of confined spaces and possible chronic diseases. You should also make sure that the contrast agent that may be used will not cause an allergic reaction in the patient. It should be noted that gadolinium (the active substance of the contrast agent) is not an allergen, but a reaction can still occur.
The procedure will be able to diagnose various congenital anomalies, identify injuries of various kinds: fracture, dislocation, sprain, rupture. In addition, MRI can detect arthritis, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome. A specialist in this field can easily determine whether there are blood flow disorders, see the presence of tumors.
The tomograph used for diagnostics can be of open and closed type. The most commonly used is a closed-type tomograph. The device itself consists of a movable table on which the patient must lie down. This table is equipped with various special coils, belts and rollers, which fix the patient’s hand before the examination. It is worth noting that even minimal movement can distort the final MRI data. After the table enters the tomograph chamber, the scanning begins with the help of a special coil in which the hand is fixed. At the same time, various sounds are heard. The patient will not experience any discomfort or pain. A conventional MRI takes about half an hour, while with a contrast agent it takes about one hour. After the scan is completed, the doctor asks the patient to wait for the interpretation of the results.
A contrast agent is used to see the smallest lesions, as it improves visualization due to the difference in staining of various structures, as well as pathological tissues. If there is a tumor in the area under study, then the diagnostician will immediately notice this, since it will differ in color from the surrounding healthy tissues. Contraindications to the use of contrast may be an allergy to the active substance, renal and hepatic insufficiency. True, it must be taken into account that there are formations with a poorly developed vascular network (hypovascular), and in this case, such a tumor will not accumulate contrast. After completion of the procedure, the patient can immediately return to the usual rhythm of life. He will receive the scan result in his hands, after which he will be able to visit a specialist who will prescribe this procedure for him.