Is It Safe To Have A Child's MRI?

Every parent is concerned when their child's doctor recommends an MRI for a thorough diagnosis of the problem. There are endless questions and thoughts racing through the mind. This kind of condition often involves a lot of stress, anxiety, and concerns regarding the safety and health of the child. Among the other concerns, safety is the most important. The first question that a parent has is whether the MRI is safe for the child or if it can harm our child's health.

While it’s natural to have questions and concerns about the diagnostic procedure your child needs to undergo because of his or her illness, It’s also important to know whether your child feels safe and comfortable during the procedure.

In this article, we are going to discuss the following points:

• What is an MRI scan?

• Is an MRI scan a safe procedure for children?

• Are there any risks associated with an MRI scan?

• How much time does an MRI scan take?

• What is an MRI scan?

An MRI scan is the best and highly recommended imaging procedure for the diagnosis of various types of health-related disorders. The MRI scan uses very powerful magnets and radio waves with a higher level of frequency to produce the detailed pictures of the inside of the patient’s body. It is most commonly used to detect and diagnose problems with bones, soft tissues, and internal organs. It is used to diagnose a variety of problems related to the brain, heart, spinal cord, bones, joints, soft tissues, and internal organs.

The problems that can be diagnosed with MRI scans are:

• Aneurysms of cerebral vessels

• Multiple sclerosis

• Spinal cord disorders

• Stroke

• Tumors

• Brain injury from trauma

• Tumors in the internal organs

• Abnormalities in the internal organs

• Size of the chambers of the heart

• Function of the heart's chambers

• Thickness of the heart’s wall

• Movement of the walls of the heart

• A large area of damage occurred due to the heart attacks.

• Structural problems in the aorta

• Inflammation in the blood vessels

• Blockages in the blood vessels

Is an MRI scan a safe procedure for children?

MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) is a safe and easy imaging procedure that is recommended for kids for the diagnosis of a variety of issues. The procedure is completely safe because it doesn’t involve the use of a magnetic field or radio waves, so there is no chance of any kind of harmful effects as it occurs without harmful radiation. So, it can be done multiple times, unlike a CT scan and a PET scan.

Are there any risks or side effects associated with an MRI scan?

An MRI scan doesn’t cause any direct side effects or health risks to your child’s health. But still, there is the possibility of having side effects in the case of the contrast medium or sedation.

The main negative effect of undergoing an MRI scan is that it can be uncomfortable due to prolonged lying on the hard table without any movement. It takes approximately 15 minutes to 90 minutes for the whole procedure, so your child may feel uncomfortable. Because it is difficult for children to remain motionless for an extended period of time, the technician may administer sedatives to the children to assist them in remaining motionless during the exam.

Because sometimes the contrast media and sedation can cause allergies, if your doctor recommends an MRI scan for your child, be sure to inform your doctor about the allergies your child is suffering from.

Other side effects and complications that your child may experience are listed below. When doctors administer contrast dye via IV, there is a risk of allergic reactions such as itching, irritation, and redness, among other things .If your child is struggling with kidney-related issues, then contrast media can increase the problem. So, be sure to discuss this with the doctor so that precautions can be taken.

How much time does an MRI scan take?

An MRI scan takes between 15 and 45 minutes to complete. In the case of contrast media, however, it could take up to 90 minutes.

Conclusion

MRI is the best imaging procedure for diagnosing the problems in an effective manner. I hope this article will help you reduce your anxiety regarding the safety and risks of an MRI. Like any other diagnostic procedure, every parent must remain stress-free and always try to address the problems of their children. But if you want be more sure you can visit any nearest MRI center to consults these situations.

Read More: What is the cost of PET scan in Delhi?