I believe that on average 1.5 Tesla is fine for picking up brain lesions, if the MRI is done according to MS protocol and the software is up to date.
However, a 3 Tesla magnet is recommended to pick up spinal cord lesions, and even then it can miss them.
I had a MRI (not according to MS protocol) done on a 1.5 Tesla that showed nothing, then 6 weeks later, I had a new MRI done on a 3 Tesla and done according to MS protocol that showed approximately 10 lesions.

3.0 telsa machines are not yet widly available--its not available where i live in a mid sized city without a teaching hospital the 3.0 telsa machines have only been around for a few years and people got mri's showing brain & spinal cord lesions.

the 1.5 "tube" mri's are recommended for ms mri's. when the new 3.0 telso not available-there what is "normal"

there is a lower 0.75 telsa mri, the open mri that isn't recommended for ms mri scan's. but if yours was a 1.5 telsa you did not use an open mri but used closed tube mri..

if you want to leave no stone unturned,ask the doc how far you would have to drive to get a 3.0 telsa machine?

spine lesions are often not picked up on a mri, but spine lesions are so symptomatic, often docs just use the symptoms to indicate where a lesion is...brain lesions are not that symptomatic and symptoms do not identify where a lesion is.

spine cns tissue is denser than brain cns tissue, & the movement of breathing a person has to make during the mri makes the spine mri less clear..

Did you have your MRI done with contrast? Just curious, I have had two now and both were done without contrast. My first was 8/2010 and second was 1/2011.2 lesions on the first and 3 lesions on the second.

I was told that I had to have a brain and c-spine MRI done on a Tesla 3 machine, with and with-out contrast. I think that was more my doctors opinion than anything else.

@ Kevin: I have physical signs of neurological damage but yet nothing showed up on the MRI. They did an MRI of my brain and whole spine with and without contrast all on the same day. I had it done about one year ago.

@ nnyl1: I definitely am symptomatic but my former neuro seemed like he needed to have it show on the MRI before he would say there was anything there. I still don't quite understand how he could say I have hyperreflexia and ankle clonus but not come to any kind of conclusion as to the cause.
I searched online and there is a teaching hospital that has a 3.0 tesla, it's only about an hour from here. I don't know if I would be allowed to go in with a script for an MRI and have it done there without being a patient though. If the neurologist I just made an appointment with wants me to get another one I think I might call them and ask.

Thank you all for the info. I only knew the basics about how an MRI works. I didn't realize there was such a wide range in the strength of the machines. You guys are a great source of information, I appreciate your insight. :-)

Thanks everyone for the clarification on machine strength.

During my fall MRI, I heard the various techs discussing which machines the various neuros "liked", but I was fearful of the tube and went for the donut, even through it wasn't as "strong". I'm due for a followup in April, to see how those little spots have progressed. So now I'll inquire about the strength and ensure that it has the ability to see ALL the spots (even if I need to be sedated).

DS is SO valuable!

.

Thanks for the info. I did not know anything about the different strengths. My last MRI was done in 2000 so I am not up on them. But the one done on me showed a lot of lesions so that it didn't matter about strength.

Anyway, thanks a lot of the info. I will be tuned in when they give me another one.

Bump!...It's a very interesting subject & something to ask your Neuro. about before you get your MRI's & see what he or she thinks...

If you have a truly smart, caring Neuro. I'm sure you'll get a very informed answer on the subject. What do you all think?

Take care,
Stay sane!

If you have had an MRI with contrast you are likely sick from the gadolinium based contrasting agent they used.

Gadolinium is a toxic heavy metal and all the products are now on the FDA black box warning.

im thinking the contrast shows active lessions. pretty sure

Interesting...I got my initial brain scan MRI approved by the MSAA & while they where VERY caring & helpful in my case, I wonder what strength MRI machine they used & if they didn't just use a lower grade machine to save themselves some money possibly.

They were very helpful (the MSAA), don't get me wrong, but they help allot of people, so I could see how they would want to save money, I guess. I wouldn't want to go about it that way, if they know the machines don't pick up that well on a lower grade, but that's just me.

Because after 20yrs. of having MS (& yes, I was diagnosed specifically with MS & Epilepsy caused by the MS...been about 3 months since my diagnosis, been cycling doctors for 10 or so yrs.), you just can't miss lesions. I'm sure what my smarty pants of a Neuro. said was right though...

my body has just had this disease for so long, that it's been fending for itself basically & trying to self absorb the lesions & scar them over. So the lesions are deeper in my brain & going in cycles & we just caught the lesions between cycles & need to do a couple more MRI's before the lesions spring to the surface in my case. Everyone is different...He also thinks that there could be spinal lesions & I have yet to have any spinal MRI's.

I will bring up the MRI strength issue with my Neuro. & see what he thinks.

Sorry if I internalized the above. hehe! I have just been curious about this issue since I have been seeing posts on & off for some time talking about MRI strength issues.

It's a very interesting subject!

Take care,
Stay sane!