Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group

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mamagiraffe 05/05/2014

I am not yet diagnosed, so my primary care doctor has referred me for an MRI. Due to scheduling, I have an OPEN MRI this week, as it is a few weeks' wait for regular MRI. My concern is that the National MS Society website states, "Open MRIs are usually less than 1.5T and do not provide the best images for detecting MS activity, although they may be used when someone has difficulty tolerating a closed MRI machine."

Do any of you have positive or negative experiences with an Open MRI and its ability to properly diagnose? I'm wondering if I should ask to be rescheduled?

dxat59 05/05/2014

My last 2 MRI's were open 5.0. Nice but hard to find.

Gentle hugs, Linda

Anne8 05/05/2014

I was SO MUCH HAPPIER with the open one. I was lucky that my last two MRIs were with one.
Yes, they say it might not be accurate enough because there is more potential for moving,and therefore not having as clear of a scan, but I didn't care.
I thought I would go bonkers in that awful, claustraphobic tube!

mamagiraffe 05/05/2014

Anne, did they show anything?

slbale 05/06/2014

Hi there
david has had 2 open MRI'S the first identified a lesion the second identified a second lesion in fact he has never had a closed MIR brain

Anne8 05/06/2014

Well, in my case, the open machine was not an issue because I had so many 'black holes' (scarring) that they could count more than enough for diagnosis. I unfortunately don't have a copy of the scans to tell you what it looked like firsthand.
Would it cost you extra if you had to redo scans later on?

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