Pelvic MRI with and without contrast: preparation, what it shows

Today, there are many different diagnostic methods that are quite effective in detecting a particular disease and can give the attending physician almost all the necessary information about the patient's condition. However, they all have a number of advantages and disadvantages, or can be used depending on the situation. Various diagnostic procedures are especially in demand in urology and gynecology. One of the informative methods that will always help establish an accurate diagnosis is MRI of the pelvis, widely used for diagnostic purposes in a variety of diseases. Today, it has become one of the most common methods that are widely used in many areas of medical activity.

This is a very convenient method, as it allows visualizing various pathologies, makes it possible to assess the severity and level of damage to various structures of the human body. Its capabilities, of course, are not unlimited, but nevertheless, they are quite broad. With the help of this method, you can get detailed images of internal organs, examine the necessary angle of a certain pathology. It is important to know the location and structure of tissues, detect the localization of individual structures, including foreign, pathological ones. Allows you to diagnose a wide variety of conditions and diseases.

How long does a pelvic MRI take?

On average, the procedure takes no more than an hour. Usually, it takes 20 minutes to prepare for the examination, and 40 minutes for the examination itself. It should be taken into account that the need for additional measures increases the duration of the procedure. For example, if anesthesia or sedation is used during the examination, the procedure will last a little longer. Contrast examination also takes longer.

When is the best time to do an MRI of the pelvis?

Usually, the doctor himself selects the optimal time when it is advisable to conduct the examination and schedules it for a certain day. At the same time, he warns in advance what preparatory measures need to be taken.

Usually, MRI is done when it is necessary to clarify the diagnosis, especially if other methods are ineffective or have shown deviations from the norm that could not be fully identified. Almost always, this procedure is carried out if there is a suspicion of an oncological process. In this case, it is very easy to visually separate healthy tissue from pathological tissue. They look different in the MRI spectrum. This method is also often used in forensic medical examination, since it makes it possible to identify old injuries and traces of damage, scars, internal hematomas. The procedure is very expensive, so not everyone has the opportunity to undergo it. Most often, it is the presence of tumors that serves as the main reason for such a procedure. It is also often prescribed during consultations regarding infertility, when planning a pregnancy, and IVF. It provides a lot of information in this area and is considered a much more effective method than many others, including ultrasound. this procedure is more effective than a set of procedures that were previously used for diagnostics

Preparation

Preparation does not take long and consists of following a diet for 2-3 days before the examination. It is imperative to stop taking any substances that cause increased gas formation. In emergency cases, the examination can be carried out without preliminary preparation. In order to enhance the ability to visualize, the clarity of the image, a contrast is used. This is necessary to identify tumors, as it allows you to differentiate normal tissues from pathological ones.

Technique of implementation

Allows visualization of various inflammatory processes, tumors, injuries. The main advantage is that this method can promptly detect tumors of any genesis and stage, bleeding and bruises, which is very important for making the correct diagnosis and selecting treatment. Due to the fact that the study is quite expensive, many clinics use it only if there is a suspicion of cancer.

Another distinctive feature of this method is the ability to detect old hematomas and injuries. This property is often used in forensic practice. If visualization is insufficient, a contrast agent can be additionally introduced, which will make it possible to examine the structure of organs in detail and detect even minimal morphological changes.

It is used to examine the pelvis of women and men when various diseases are suspected. For women, it is almost always used when preparing for IVF, planning a pregnancy. It is always used for pain, damage, trauma, inflammation, tumors in the pelvic area. It is an indispensable method when preparing for operations (during their planning).

This type of examination can also be performed during pregnancy to detect the causes of premature birth and find ways to prevent such developments. It can be performed no earlier than the second trimester.

During the procedure, women's bladder, uterus and its appendages (ovaries and fallopian tubes), vagina, retro-uterine space are examined. Men's bladder, scrotum, prostate gland, rectum, vas deferens, seminal vesicles are examined. In both sexes, it allows to identify tumors, developmental anomalies, inflammatory processes, hydrocele, varicocele.

MRI of the pelvis with enhancement

Enhancement may be required if there is a suspicion of severe inflammation or malignancy. Enhancement acts as a contrast agent that visualizes and separates pathological processes and tissues from the norm well. The magnetic field is highly intense, which allows for high-quality images. But sometimes even this is not enough to clearly examine all the details and features of the pathological process. Then they resort to the use of enhancement, or contrast. The essence of its use is that the contrast agent has the ability to accumulate in altered tissues without changing their structure and condition. It becomes much easier for the reading system to detect such pathological tissues and visualize them based on the signal coming from them. It is also possible to clearly identify the boundaries of the pathology and outline the area of their localization. This is the basis for confirming or refuting the diagnosis. In a similar way, metastases can be detected during the development of a malignant tumor process. For example, any, even distant metastasis also implies a modification of tissue, its transformation. At the same time, the contrast is capable of accumulating in such tissue, which perfectly visualizes it against the background of other, undamaged tissues that are not capable of assimilating the contrast agent within themselves.

MRI of the pelvis without contrast

MRI is performed without contrast if there is no suspicion of a cancerous tumor. No preliminary preparation is required, but it is better to refrain from eating and drinking for several hours before the examination. Immediately before the procedure, the doctor must remove all metal products and change into special clothing. Then the patient lies down on a mobile table.

Special surface coils are placed over the area being examined. The patient is usually secured with special straps that help keep him still. Then the sliding table with the patient is pushed into the tomograph chamber. In some cases, sound-insulating headphones are used to eliminate discomfort caused by the noise from the device.

Then the specialist leaves the room, and the connection is maintained through a special device - a speaker. The patient must remain completely motionless during the examination, since this affects the result, the effectiveness of the images. In some cases, the patient is asked to hold their breath. Usually, nothing else is required of the patient. On average, the examination lasts for an hour. After this, the table is pulled out, the patient is unfastened. The last stage is to decipher the results. Deciphering is done by specially trained specialists. The result is handed over in 1-2 hours.

MRI of the pelvis with anesthesia

The examination can be performed under general anesthesia. The main requirement for the examination is the need to remain motionless. For various reasons, this condition cannot always be met. If it is impossible to ensure immobility for a long time (from 30 to 90 minutes), general anesthesia is used. It is often used for children, people with increased excitability of the nervous system, as well as for various diseases of the spine, limbs, joints and circulatory system.

MRI of the pelvis for obese people

The procedure is often necessary for overweight people, since they are the ones most susceptible to various diseases and require diagnostics.

There is a special open-type MRI machine, which does not require immersion in a closed chamber. It is possible to conduct a study for a person whose body weight does not exceed 120 kilograms, which could not be done before. There are also some specialized clinics that specialize in conducting research for obese people, using closed-type machines with special parameters.

MRI of the pelvis during menstruation

The study is not performed during menstruation. This is due to the fact that the organs of the small ovary receive the maximum blood flow at this time. As a result, the possibility of accurate diagnosis is sharply reduced. The optimal period for the study is the 7-10th day of the cycle. During this period, the most reliable results can be obtained.

MRI of the pelvis during pregnancy

If there is a threat to the mother's life, diagnostics by this method is possible. In this case, tomography without contrast is permissible. The study is also carried out in case of a threat of premature birth, other pathologies to determine the cause, but only from the second trimester.

Theoretically, the magnetic field can affect the embryo, but does not harm the already frolicking fetus. If contrast is used, it is necessary to tell the attending physician about the pregnancy, since some types of marker can be dangerous for the unborn child.

MRI of the abdomen and pelvis

Today, many tools are known that allow visualization of the main pathological structures in the pelvic area and abdominal organs. All of them have their pros and cons. They can be used in a particular situation, depending on the equipment, technical capabilities of the medical institution, as well as the range of information that needs to be obtained during the study. In most cases, if possible, doctors resort to MRI methods. This is explained by the fact that by conducting just one study, a huge number of pathologies can be identified. In addition, the load on the body is minimal. This procedure has virtually no contraindications. The method is characterized by accuracy, the results obtained are always reliable, and are almost never subject to doubt, so the need for additional studies arises extremely rarely. The main advantage of this method is the high reliability of the results obtained.

In addition, a significant advantage of the method is its harmlessness. Thus, the method does not affect either healthy or pathological tissues. But it has certain contraindications - it cannot be used by people who have metal structures in their bodies, which is quite understandable and logical, since a reaction occurs between the magnetic field and the metal. As a result, not only the structure itself is damaged, but also the surrounding tissues and organs are affected. Such damage can sometimes be life-threatening. For example, various metal pins and structures inserted into vessels, joints, organ cavities, can shift or displace under the influence of a magnetic field. Of course, this will entail unpredictable consequences: bleeding, vascular ruptures, displacement of the focus of pathology. If a person has pacemakers or other artificial devices, structures, they can fail under the influence of a magnetic field. As a result, they either stop functioning, which is already a threat to human life, or function incorrectly, as a result of which any failure can occur.

As for other types of radiation, the device is considered safe, since it does not have radiation radiation. Some specialists and researchers consider it so safe that they consider it entirely acceptable to conduct the study for pregnant women, if their condition requires it. However, the question of the advisability of using such a procedure for pregnant women is still open, since there are still no reliable and comprehensive studies that allow a comprehensive assessment of both the immediate and remote effects of the magnetic field on the fetus.

Usually, this procedure for examining the pelvic organs is used in cases where other procedures are ineffective and uninformative. If there is a suspicion of oncology, the procedure is carried out immediately, without postponing the diagnosis. In this case, it is better to immediately conduct an MRI of the pelvis, which will allow you to detect a tumor at an early stage and begin treatment as early as possible, which will significantly increase the chances of recovery.