MRI scans (or magnetic resonance imaging scans) are a standard type of medical scan that are routinely used to diagnose or rule out a wide range of diseases and conditions.
They’re used to provide detailed images of the inside of the body to detect damage, injury, disease or the possibility of a tumour, in various parts of the body including the:
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Brain and spinal cord
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Head and neck
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Back
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Heart and blood vessels
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Other organs, including the liver and kidney
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Breasts
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Womb
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Prostate
Having an MRI scan will help to put your mind at rest or confirm the presence of a disease for which a treatment protocol can be developed. Understandably, being told that you then need a second MRI can be a worrying and daunting time. Immediately, we might think this is bad news. But there are various reasons why a second MRI might be needed, including to monitor how well treatment might be working, to make changes to treatments or to confirm that an injury is healing or that a disease is in remission.
In this article, we’re going to discuss the most common answers to the question - why would a second MRI be needed?
Clarification of Initial Findings
Sometimes, an initial MRI scan may not be enough for doctors and consultants to make a definitive diagnosis. Therefore, they may recommend that you have another scan or further tests in order to diagnose a specific condition, or the stage of a condition.
As daunting as it is, having multiple MRI scans will mean that whatever treatment or management plan you need, can start as soon as possible.
Unlike x rays and CT scanning, MRI scanning doesn’t use ionising radiation. Therefore, there’s no risk of radiation exposure from having more than one. They’re considered very safe (and effective) for this reason.
Monitoring Progress or Changes
MRI scans are very useful in diagnosing different conditions, but they’re also very useful in monitoring progress. Therefore, you might have a series of MRI scans so that your medical team can track how well a treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be working for you.
If you’ve had surgery, for example to remove a tumour, you may have a second MRI scan to help your surgeon ascertain if they’ve successfully removed all of the tumour. You may also have multiple MRI scans if you’ve had a head or brain injury, to monitor healing and recovery.
MRI scans can also be used to allow tweaks to your treatment, if your consultant or specialist thinks your medications could be working better for you and need a review.
Some conditions, such as some types of early cancer, are monitored regularly under a process called active monitoring. This means that you’ll have regular scans without starting treatment unnecessarily - if a scan highlights that your condition is showing signs of progressing, then your team will discuss starting treatment with you.
Different Imaging Protocols
Depending on the area of your body that needs to be scanned and why, it may be standard protocol for you to undergo a second MRI (or multiple MRI scans). This can be for various reasons, including to monitor progress and treatment or to check on recovery.
Inadequate Initial Imaging
An MRI scanning machine is a long, tunnel-like machine with a movable bed. You’ll lay on the bed and it will slowly move into the tunnel. MRI scans work by using a strong magnetic field and short bursts of radio waves. When the magnets are switched on and off, they make a loud knocking noise and the tunnel itself can feel overwhelming.
For an MRI scan to be useful in a diagnosis, it’s important that you stay completely still for the duration of your scan. Understandably, this may be difficult, but any movement may blur the images which will unfortunately mean that you’ll need to go through the process again.
If you struggle with claustrophobia, spending time in an enclosed space, or remaining still, speak to your medical team. They may be able to give you a sedative drug that will help to calm you and make the process much easier for you to manage. You will be given ear plugs or headphones to help muffle the noise and you’ll be able to speak to your radiographer throughout which can also prove helpful.
New Symptoms
Another reason you would need a second MRI scan is if you develop new or different symptoms. These could range from a different type of headache or pain elsewhere in the body to finding a new lump or lesion.
Having a second MRI scan will help to put your mind at rest or mean that a new treatment regime or focus can be started.
Follow-Up on Findings
Comparing the results of a subsequent MRI scan with an initial one is helpful for doctors when following up on previous test results. They can use a series of scans and other test results to monitor the progress of disease and see how well treatment may be working.
Why You Might Need a Second MRI With Contrast
A contrast MRI follows much the same process as a regular MRI, but with the use of a contrast dye, injected into a vein, usually in the arm or the groin.
Standard MRI scans highlight all of the tissues in the body, including bones, organs, blood vessels and soft tissues. Trained radiologists can then view the images produced by an MRI scan to pick out healthy tissue from non-healthy.
However, sometimes, a radiologist will need further clarity between the bones and for example, the soft tissues that surround them or the fluid within the spine. A contrast dye helps to provide this clarity and distinction.
MRI with contrast scans are most commonly used on MRI scans that are focused on the head, brain, blood vessels and spinal cord to highlight damage or potential tumours.
How To Get A Second Opinion On An MRI
When facing the possibility of being diagnosed with a medical condition, it’s essential that you have full trust in your medical team. If you have any doubts, or worries, it may impact your treatment and recovery. Sometimes, we may feel the need to seek a second opinion from a different doctor to help put our mind at ease or accept a diagnosis.
If you’d like a second opinion on an MRI scan, you may be able to take your results from your initial scan to another specialist. However, some specialists will want to conduct their own MRI scans and potentially other tests in order to provide their own diagnosis, and therefore a second MRI will be necessary.
At Scan.com, we accept uploads of previous imaging when you place an order with us. So, if you’re feeling uneasy about a result or a diagnosis, book an appointment to discuss your concerns and the possibility of a second MRI scan with our team of clinical experts.
Find an MRI Scan
Whether you’re seeking a second MRI scan or you’re looking to book an initial scan, we can help. Most parts of the body and most people are suitable for MRI scanning, so whatever your concern, use our simple booking system to make an MRI appointment and start the process of getting a diagnosis and treatment.
References
MRI scan. (n.d.). Tests and Scans | Cancer Research UK. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/tests-and-scans/mri-scan
Website, N. (2022b, August 5). MRI scan. nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mri-scan/
Murphy, A., & Weerakkody, Y. (2012). MRI protocols. Radiopaedia.org. https://doi.org/10.53347/rid-17095
