What are the benefits vs. risks?

Benefits

• MRI is a noninvasive imaging technique that does not involve exposure to radiation.
• MR images of the soft-tissue structures of the body—such as the heart, liver and many other organs— has a higher sensitivity to identify and characterize abnormalities and focal lesions than other imaging methods. This detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in early diagnosis and evaluation of many focal lesions and tumors.
• MRI has proven valuable in diagnosing a broad range of conditions, including cancer, heart and vascular disease, and muscular and bone abnormalities.
• MRI can help physicians evaluate both the structure of an organ and how it is working.
• MRI enables the detection of abnormalities that might be obscured by bone with other imaging methods.
• MRI allows physicians to assess the biliary system noninvasively and without contrast injection.
• The contrast material used in MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodine-based materials used for conventional x-rays and CT scanning.
• MRI provides a fast, noninvasive alternative to x-ray angiography for diagnosing problems of the heart and cardiovascular system.

Risks

• The MRI examination poses almost no risk to the average patient when appropriate safety guidelines are followed.
• If sedation is used there are risks of excessive sedation. The technologist or nurse monitors your vital signs to minimize this risk.
• Although the strong magnetic field is not harmful in itself, medical devices that contain metal may malfunction or cause problems during an MRI exam.
• There is a very slight risk of an allergic reaction if contrast material is injected. Such reactions usually are mild and easily controlled by medication. There also is a very small risk of skin infection at the site of injection. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is currently a recognized, but rare, complication of MRI believed to be caused by the injection of certain (but not all) MRI contrast material in patients with poor kidney function.