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What does the craniocerebral MRI reveal?
One of the frequent questions among patients is “What does brain MRI show?”.
Cranio-cerebral MRI scans – Nuclear Magnetic Resonance or Cranio-cerebral MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging (both terms refer to the same medical investigation) are used for all anatomical areas included at the cranial level:
- Cerebral parenchyma responsible for all cognitive, sensory and motor functions of the body
- ENT sphere (sinus, oropharynx not nasopharynx)
- Ophthalomological sphere.
A cranio-cerebral MRI in case of a stroke can specify the stage of ischemia (superacute, acute, chronic) and allows, in specialized units, the lysis of the vascular thrombus in the acute phases, with remission/reduction of ischemia and reduction of the area affected by ischemia at the level of the cerebral parenchyma. At the same time, it detects the areas of bleeding that occurred after the thrombolytic treatment (areas of acute hemorrhage or old bleeding portions) and supports the attending physician in the efficient management of the treatment.
Likewise, cerebral MRI is frequently used in medical practice to investigate neurological problems; Including conditions such as headaches/migraines whose cause has not been determined, to exclude the possibility of tumor lesions.
Imaging examinations MRI/ CT/ Radiology for different segments of the body can be performed for a fee or settled by CAS in Medicover clinics and hospitals. For more information on the availability of the Medicover service, you can request details in Call Center 021 9896.
The difference between cerebral MRI and angiography
Angiography is an additional examination, with additional sequences that provide complementary data about:
- Cerebral vascular bundles (in ischemic accidents, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, cavernomas, neurovascular conflicts and others)
- Arteries (including arterial relations with the ENT sphere, oro/nasopharynx, orbit, etc.).
While brain MRI evaluates the parenchyma, angiography evaluates the blood vessels, especially the arteries. The specialist doctor is the one who recommends the necessary investigation depending on the specificity of the case.
The most common pathologies that can be diagnosed with the help of cranio-cerebral MRI
- Intracranial tumor lesions (cerebral and extracerebral)
- Ischemic vascular accidents
- bleeding
- Demyelinating lesions (dementia, multiple sclerosis)
- Cranial nerve disorders (inflammatory, tumor, neurovascular conflicts)
- Benign diseases in the field of ENT (sinusitis, mastoiditis, pathologies of the inner ear, etc.).
Compared to other investigative methods, the cranio-cerebral MRI offers a clearly superior quality of information in visualizing the differentiation of structures, both anatomical (white and gray matter) and pathological (different signal for assessing liquid, demyelinating, tissue structures, bleeding). In addition, it allows visualization of the cranial nerves.
The examination lasts approximately 30 minutes, and the contrast substance is indicated in – cerebral angiography, tumor lesions, multiple sclerosis.
Contraindications and adverse effects
Absolute contraindications are:
- Claustrophobia
- The presence of metal implants, cochlear/pacemaker (only with the consent of the cardiologist or performed in centers that allow patient monitoring with compatible MRI equipment)
The native examination has no contraindications, i.e. adverse effects, but the contrast substance has, for example, adhesion effects at the renal level, therefore it must be administered with caution, where appropriate (documented suspicions of the attending physician) and requires the assessment of renal function before the examination ( serum creatinine clearance >30).
The craniocerebral MRI is an advanced imaging technique that provides detailed information about the anatomy and pathologies of the cranial area, from the identification of tumor lesions to the assessment of stroke stages. This non-invasive investigation has a crucial role in the diagnosis and management of multiple diseases with serious consequences for health.
2024-02-18 23:04:24
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