NECK PROBLEMS

The Neck is made of soft tissue, nerves, muscles, vertebrae and discs. Most of the problems related to neck pain are due to problems in the cervical spine which can be caused due to nerve root compression. Other problems can be due to any kind of tumour in the neck region. Vertebral growth can also cause problems in the cervical region. The pain in the neck can also spread to the shoulders or radiate into the arms. This is a classical symptom for nerve compression in the cervical spine region. The blood vessels in the neck region which supply blood to the face and the brain can also have some problems like blockages or aneurysm. MRI of the Cervical Spine or MRI Neck Vessels are two different types of studies which are done to identify different kinds of problems in the neck region.

Most problems related to neck pain are caused due to poor posture and lack of physical exercises. If the problem is identified at an early stage then physiotherapists would be able to treat the problem and also teach you the right kind of exercises to strenthen the back muscles and prevent the recurrence of the problem in the future. However if the disease is ignored and not treated at an early stage then surgery would be the only option.

MRI Neck

Most of the MR Studies for the neck region are non-contrast studies and can be done at any time of the day with prior appointment. However if the doctor is suspecting cancer then contrast imaging might be required. During the MRI exam, you would be in a room which has strong magnetic field. You should not be wearing any jewellery and should inform the technician if you have any kind of implant inside your body. In any case our technician would be checking you with a metal detector before taking you inside the magnet room. The study would take around 15-30 minutes to complete.

You are advised to leave your mobile phone, wallet and all clothes inside a locker which is provided to you. You would be given a hospital gown to wear for the test. There is a humming sound which resembles the sound of a running train while the exam is going on. You would be given ear plugs to minimize this sound. You would be required to go inside a cylinderical tunnel and lie still while the exam is going on. On completion of the test, you can change into your own clothes and leave for your home. The MRI Neck exam will produce several hundred images which will be reviewed by the radiologist and the report would be made available within 24 hours of the scanning.

Best Centre and Cost

MRI Machines are of two types - Permanent Magnet and Superconducting Magnet. The Permanent Magnet MRI or Open MRI as it is called comes in two strengths - 0.2 Tesla and 0.3 Tesla. The Superconducting Magnet comes in strengths of 1.5 Tesla and 3.0 Tesla. Tesla is the unit for magnetic strength. The common belief is that higher the Tesla, better is the imaging quality but this is not the case. Higher magnetic strength can produce greater noise and result in lower signal to noise ratio. MRI of the Brain, Joints and Spine can be done equally well on a 0.3 Tesla Permanent Magnet as it is done on a 1.5 Tesla Magnet. However inner ear imaging is best done on a 3 Tesla MRI. Many doctors would prescribe MRI scan on a 3 Tesla Machine without knowing the difference in imaging quality. The quality of imaging also depends on the quality of coils, channels in the machine and specialized applications for doing the scanning. Finally the quality of reporting is of paramount importance in any MRI Imaging. At EHL Diagnostics we have the optimum combination of all these factors. We have all types of machines at different centres. So patients who are claustrophobic, are advised to get their MRI on open magnet of 0.3 Tesla. Patients who require extensive testing like MRI brain and whole spine would do better to go for 3 Tesla as the imaging time is lesser.

The cost of MRI Cervical Spine or MRI Neck Vessels at our centres is in the range of Rs. 7000 - 7500. If contrast is needed then additional amount of Rs. 3500 - 3700 is charged for the test.

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