Duration of various MRI examinations

General

As a rule, the duration of an MRI examination is around 15-30 minutes. The exact duration is difficult to predict as it depends on the part of the body to be examined. In general, however, the duration of MRI examinations does not exceed 60 minutes.

Movements of the patient can lead to a longer stay in the MRT machine, since blurred images have to be discarded and new images have to be made.

Duration of the various MRI examinations

MRI knee

Exactly how long an MRI examination takes depends on the one hand on the part of the body to be examined and on the other hand on the question and the special positions that may be necessary for it, as well as on the duration of the preparation and debriefing.

Should it apply to Contrast media , its administration via an arm vein also takes some time before or during the MRI examination.

The duration for the pure MRI examination of the knee, i.e. the image acquisition itself, is in about 30 minutes.

MRI lumbar spine

During the MRI examination of the Lumbar spine (Lumbar spine) only part of the entire spine is shown in the images. The time it takes to create these images is around 20 minutes.

In addition, however, there is a certain waiting time before the examination, a certain amount of time required for preparations and possible measures during the examination (e.g. administration of contrast medium via the arm vein, certain or special positioning positions, etc.) and for the debriefing of the examination results.

For the total duration of MRI examinations of the lumbar spine, a little more must be expected - on average 1 - 1 ½ hours be planned.

MRI back

An MRI scan of the back is usually an MRI scan of the Spine - in all sections: the Cervical spine (Cervical spine), the Thoracic spine (BWS) and the Lumbar spine (Lumbar spine).

For this examination should be a total as a rule 1 - 1 ½ hours should be planned in, even if the duration of the image recording of the spine is only about 20 minutes.

The time required for the waiting time before the examination, for the preparations for the MRI, for the measures that may still take place during the examination (e.g. administration of contrast medium via an arm vein, certain positioning positions, etc.) as well as for the debriefing of the examination results must also be calculated .

MRI cervical spine

The MRI scan of the cervical spine (cervical spine) usually takes about 20 minutes, which is the time it takes to take the MRI images.

In addition, however, there is still time required to prepare for the MRI examination, for certain measures during the examination (e.g. administration of contrast medium, certain positioning positions, etc.) and for the debriefing. A certain waiting time before the examination must also be expected.

The entire duration for an MRI examination of the cervical spine is therefore significantly longer than that for the image acquisition - on average it must be included 1 - 1 ½ hours be expected.

MRI head

The total duration of an MRI scan of the head also depends to a large extent on various factors.

In addition to the time required for the waiting time, the preparations, the debriefing, the possible administration of contrast medium before or during the examination and the possibly necessary taking from different positions, the duration for the MRI examination of the head also depends on the question and the necessary for it Cutting planes.

The duration for the pure imaging of the head is approx. 15-20 minutes.