Magnetic Resolution Imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is currently the most accurate way to diagnose uterine fibroids. In addition to location, size, and quantity of fibroids, it can fairly accurately tell your doctor the condition of your fibroids. MRI is also much better than ultrasound for telling the difference between a subserosal fibroid and some other form of mass in your uterus.

Some doctors will bypass the ultrasound entirely and go straight to an MRI to get better images of your uterus. It is, however, more expensive and some insurance providers may protest or deny coverage when it is used. If you are concerned about this possibility, it may be wise to check with your insurer before undergoing an MRI.

While you don't have to drink a ton of water to have an MRI test, you do have to lie still on a flat "bed" of sorts that moves through a tunnel-like piece of equipment. It can be claustrophobic and noisy and if you happen to be overweight you may not even fit through the opening of this machine. Newer MRI equipment is "open," doesn't go through a tunnel, and can handle larger sized individuals. Since MRI does use magnetic sources of energy to acquire an image, anyone who has metal implants of any kind may want to discuss the use of alternative imaging techniques for the diagnosis of their uterine fibroids.

Link	Site Name/Author	What You'll Find
www.auntminnie.com	AuntMinnie.com	Medical Imaging information ad infinitum. Current news in technology and conference reporting too.
www.englewoodhospital.com/ Pages/openmri.html	Englewood Hospital and Medical Center New Jersey	What is Magnetic Resonance Imaging?
www.ismrm.org/	International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.	A nonprofit professional association devoted to furthering the development and application of magnetic resonance techniques in medicine and biology. The Society holds annual scientific meetings and sponsors other major educational and scientific workshops.
www.simplyphysics.com/	Simply Physics Moriel NessAiver, Ph.D.	Online introduction to MRI.
www.MRIsafety.com/	MRISafety.com Shellock R & D Services, Inc.	This website is an incredible resource to healthcare providers on MRI safety issues and patients seeking answers to questions on MRI safety-related topics. Information is also provided for screening patients with implants, materials, and medical devices. MRI medical literature addressing safety issues in searchable database.
radiology.bidmc.harvard.edu/	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School Department of Radiology	Loads of information on radiology and MRI. Images of an open MRI scanner.
www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/mri/	Joseph P. Hornak, Ph.D.	The basics of MRI. Available in English, Japanese or Russian. Thorough and detailed. Incredible site that's well put together and complete with hundreds of images. More physics on MRI that you ever thought you could possibly care about....the Introduction was about all I could handle!
www.rsna.org/REG/ research/regulatory/ regulatory.html	Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)	The basics of Medical Device Regulation including history, background and FDA regulation. Complete excerpt from October 1997 issue of Radiology that begins with a basic overview and moves to comprehensive details of all FDA device regulations.