MRI scan - knee/hip

[Felt 35]

Allow me to ask if anyone can recommend a MRI scan center outside of hospitals, in Bangkok that is good, but do not break the bank.

Thanks

Felt

[JSon]

Try https://www.mrithailand.com/en/

 

Been there myself, it was fine.  Good price.

 

You need a doctors referral though.  

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, JSon said:

Try https://www.mrithailand.com/en/

 

Been there myself, it was fine.  Good price.

 

You need a doctors referral though.  

Does nto require a doctor referral.

 

They will ask name if doctor who referred (solely so they can then send the results) but no problem to tell them self referred and you will tajke the CD with you.

 

I've done it many times.

 

This place is fien as lon gas you don't need a specialized sort of MRI. However:

 

- you need to know exactly what type of MRI you need: of what part of the body, and (most important) whether with or without contrast.

 

I cannot in conscience recommend anyone have an MRI with contrast media at any imaging center in Thailand. A small minority of people have serious reactions to the dye and the tiem that will be required to get you to a hospital to manage this could cost you your life. Odds are small, but real. For non-contrast MRI, no issue.

[The Hammer2021]

6 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Does nto require a doctor referral.

 

They will ask name if doctor who referred (solely so they can then send the results) but no problem to tell them self referred and you will tajke the CD with you.

 

I've done it many times.

 

This place is fien as lon gas you don't need a specialized sort of MRI. However:

 

- you need to know exactly what type of MRI you need: of what part of the body, and (most important) whether with or without contrast.

 

I cannot in conscience recommend anyone have an MRI with contrast media at any imaging center in Thailand. A small minority of people have serious reactions to the dye and the tiem that will be required to get you to a hospital to manage this could cost you your life. Odds are small, but real. For non-contrast MRI, no issue.

Does your comment  about dye/ imaging centres include hospitals?

Or do you mean if contrast  is required the OP should  have the procedure done at a hospital?

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Does your comment  about dye/ imaging centres include hospitals?

Or do you mean if contrast  is required the OP should  have the procedure done at a hospital?

 

 

If contrast  is required the OP should  have the procedure done at a hospital

 

or at least understand that he is taking a small but serious risk

 

Already in a hospital is where you want to be in the event of a serious adverse reaction to the dye. You do NOT want to be in an ambulatory MRI center, then in its ambulance potentially stuck in traffic en route ot a hospital.

[scubascuba3]

8 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

 

If contrast  is required the OP should  have the procedure done at a hospital

 

or at least understand that he is taking a small but serious risk

 

Already in a hospital is where you want to be in the event of a serious adverse reaction to the dye. You do NOT want to be in an ambulatory MRI center, then in its ambulance potentially stuck in traffic en route ot a hospital.

out of interest, I've had a contrast MRI before, I assume that means I'm a pretty safe bet not to have an adverse reaction in future?

[Sheryl]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

out of interest, I've had a contrast MRI before, I assume that means I'm a pretty safe bet not to have an adverse reaction in future?

No guarantee.

 

You are certainly safer than if you had ever had a reaction, but it is still possible to happen.

 

in fact sometimes serious allergic reactions occur only in people previously sensitized through prior exposure.

Again, the likleihood is small. But the consequences can be very grave.

[Lorry]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5851274/

 

"There are only a few cases of fatal anaphylactoid reactions to gadolinium-based contrast agents in general. However, if an anaphylactoid reaction occurs, it can present itself with a fulminant course within minutes."

 

They describe a case of fatal allergy in a 42 y.o. man in Zurich, a place not known for shoddy medical practice.

 

 

[Felt 35]

5 hours ago, JSon said:

Try https://www.mrithailand.com/en/

 

Been there myself, it was fine.  Good price.

 

You need a doctors referral though.  

Great, thanks

Felt 

[Felt 35]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Does nto require a doctor referral.

 

They will ask name if doctor who referred (solely so they can then send the results) but no problem to tell them self referred and you will tajke the CD with you.

 

I've done it many times.

 

This place is fien as lon gas you don't need a specialized sort of MRI. However:

 

- you need to know exactly what type of MRI you need: of what part of the body, and (most important) whether with or without contrast.

 

I cannot in conscience recommend anyone have an MRI with contrast media at any imaging center in Thailand. A small minority of people have serious reactions to the dye and the tiem that will be required to get you to a hospital to manage this could cost you your life. Odds are small, but real. For non-contrast MRI, no issue.

Thanks Sheryl. Allow me to ask why one should need to have contrast media for a knee/hip MRI? I have had at least a dozen MRI scans of my knees (Europe mostly but also a couple scans in Thai hospitals) but never been asked to have contrast media! I had however a CT scan of stomach in Europe some years back and then contrast was necessary.

Felt

[Sheryl]

13 hours ago, Felt 35 said:

Thanks Sheryl. Allow me to ask why one should need to have contrast media for a knee/hip MRI? I have had at least a dozen MRI scans of my knees (Europe mostly but also a couple scans in Thai hospitals) but never been asked to have contrast media! I had however a CT scan of stomach in Europe some years back and then contrast was necessary.

Felt

Usually would not for hip but in some cases for knee it is necessary in order to view cartrilege, tendons  etc.

 

Better to get advise of an ortho before getting an MRI on your own, otherwise you risk wasting your money. MRIs are not always needed at all, and when they are, it is important to know what type.

[Felt 35]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Usually would not for hip but in some cases for knee it is necessary in order to view cartrilege, tendons  etc.

 

Better to get advise of an ortho before getting an MRI on your own, otherwise you risk wasting your money. MRIs are not always needed at all, and when they are, it is important to know what type.

Ok, do you get a short description of what issue eventually seen or only the images on CD?

Felt

[Sheryl]

The report you get is not worth much. Specialist won't even look at it and frankly neither should you.

 

They will give you CD on request and it is this, and only this, that specialist will review.

 

Again - not all problems need an MRI. In fact most hip and knee problems do not .  It is often possible to make a diagnosis based just in physical exam, or physical exam plus Xray.

 

And - with knee especially, if a ligament or cartiledge issue is suspected -- it might be necessary for MRI to include contrast.

 

So see an ortho specialist first or you may waste time and money. If doctor does advise MRI they will have no problem hearing that you want to do it an outside imaging center, many patients do this.

 

In fact last time i needed an MRI -- at a large private "international" hospital - the specialist himself took the initiative to ask me if I wanted to do it at the hospital or elsewhere. (In my case insurance was paying, and I was in a lot of pain and eager for fast treatment  so I did it at the hospital-- but he was clearly prepared for me to say I would go elsewhere for it).