Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

What You Need To Know About MRI

A closer look at how MRI helps us diagnose and treat foot and ankle conditions.

Understanding Foot and Ankle MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the fastest and safest non-invasive method to get the clearest pictures of your foot and ankle condition. Since their invention in the late 1970s, MRIs have grown to become an indispensable part of practice for podiatric and orthopedic physicians.

MRI allows us the ability to see inside the body and visualize a structure, determine the extent of injury, and provide focused treatment. MRIs can do this all without using X-rays. Instead, they use a magnetic field that absorbs or deflects the electric charge given off by the cells themselves and creates a picture from that deflected charge.

While MRI has universal applications, not everyone qualifies for its use. Those with brain aneurysm clips, metallic foreign bodies in the eye, recent surgery with orthopedic implants, pacemakers, or cochlear implants should not use MRI. Our technologists are trained to determine if MRI will be allowable for use in each patient’s case.

If you have a foot or ankle concern that requires detailed imaging, your provider at Desert Foot and Ankle can determine whether an MRI is the right diagnostic step and guide you through what to expect at your appointment.

Our On-Site Open MRI Experience

We use industry-leading Extremity OPEN MRI machines to offer advanced imaging technology to our patients. Our MRIs are open machines, so you do not have to lie in a tube. You comfortably sit in an attached chair and simply place your leg in the machine while the MRI takes its pictures.

Aside from being open machines, ours are much quieter than traditional MRIs, making the experience more comfortable for patients who may feel anxious about imaging. The design keeps you relaxed while still capturing the detailed pictures your provider needs to guide treatment decisions.

The MRI process typically takes around one hour. All of our MRIs are read by a board-certified musculoskeletal MRI radiologist who will provide a report within 24 hours. Timely, expert interpretation means your care team can begin planning next steps quickly.

An appointment will be made with your doctor to review the MRI and discuss treatment based on the findings. Let the doctors at Desert Foot and Ankle, using our open MRI, help you find and fix your concerns.