/images/pg/ortho_services.gif"> MRI /images/ortho/mri.jpg" border="1" align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5">Carolina Orthopedic Associates is proud to present to you our in-office MRI. The E-Scan MRI supplied by Lunar Corporation is an open array and is configured so that with apprehensive patients, someone can be with them. This MRI provides the highest quality images of all peripheral joints. /images/ortho/mri_ankle.jpg" border="1" align="left" vspace="8" hspace="8">Considerations What is MRI? Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a diagnostic imaging technology that uses a strong magnet and radiofrequency waves to produce pictures or "images" of your internal organs and structures. Because MRI allows your doctor to see inside your body from any angle with great clarity, it is giving doctors a wealth of information more quickly and in many cases, /images/ortho/mri_elbow.jpg" border="1" align="right" vspace="5" hspace="5">more economically than past tests and exploratory surgeries. Magnets and Metal Don't Mix When you first enter the MRI clinic, you must let your MR physician or technologist know if you have a pacemaker, surgical clips, a prosthesis, metal implants or any other metal objects in your body. /images/ortho/mri_knee.jpg" border="1" align="left" vspace="8" hspace="8">Some implants (e.g., a pacemaker) may be affected by an MRI examination. The clinic personnel will then determine whether or not you should proceed with the MRI examination. Any metal materials that might be affected or attracted by the powerful magnet used for MRI imaging should be left at home or given to the MRI staff for safekeeping./images/ortho/mri_shoulder.jpg" border="1" vspace="5" hspace="5" align="right"> This list includes your watch, coins, keys, bobby pins, credit cards, pocket knives, etc. You should also be certain that you are reasonably clean of metal flakes or slivers on your skin, as found in some eye make-up or as a result of working around metal finishing or grinding equipment. Your MRI Exam Your MRI exam is really quite simple. With the help of our MR technologist you will be positioned on a padded table. A small light apparatus called a coil will be placed around the part of you to be examined. /images/ortho/mri_wrist.jpg" border="1" align="left" vspace="8" hspace="8">The coil allows us to use a much lower powered magnet and get even better pictures. You will have to lay still for about 30 minutes. The machine is quiet; it is open on 3 sides,and only the part of you being examined is under the magnet. There is a large picture window between you and the technologist and you may speak freely to her/him. If necessary, someone can even be in the room with you while the test is being done. DO NOT bring electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, PDAs, or magnetic devices such as credit cards into the room with you. If brought NEAR the MAGNET, their MEMORY can be ERASED.