Now that spring break is over we are starting to pick back up. We are possibly starting a new contrast used just for MRA's. As of right now, we use a fluoro trigger method for capturing the exact moment when the contrast has filled the carotids or renal arteries. This is somewhat challenging depending on the patient. With this new contrast it actually clings to the red blood cells so the contrast stays in the arteries longer. This allows less venous contamination and allows a little more latitude when it comes to imaging. So, if my first scan doesn't quite capture the best image,then I have time to run another scan without venous contamination. I have been an MRI technologists for five years now and I still have butterflies in my stomach every time I do an MRA just for the reason alone you only get one chance! Now, maybe with this new product I will be more comfortable! I also was able to finish three more comps this semester and feel once again I have learned so much more about my modality. I feel with every class I take I become a better technologist!

It is spring break in my town! So, that means we are super slow! I am not going to lie, I kind of appreciate it. The last six days I worked I scanned 42 exams! I feel like that is a lot! This week, we have finally hired a massage therapist for the MRI suite. So, when I go get a patient I ask them if they would like a complimentary 15 minute massage before having their MRI scan. Right off my scan room we have a comfort suite with a massage table, chair, and all of the amenities of a spa! Research has shown patients who receive massages before MRI have less anxiety and are more relaxed for their procedure. We were finally able to hire a massage therapist and she started this week! She also helps with assisting the MRI tech and acts like a patient care tech. This has been very helpful since we work alone and we also have the movie goggles to utilize. I have told her already, just putting in the movie and fast forwarding through the previews has been helpful enough! Now that we offer this service I have become the bad guy in the whole MRI experience!

Thoracic Lesion

I have been getting quite a few interesting cases lately having to do with the spine! This 26 year old male came in with low back pain. He had his Lumbar done and we found the mass at the level of T12. We injected and it some what enhanced. The report reads: Consider cavernoma, cystic degeneration, schwannoma with cystic degeneration. The patient came back at the end of the week and had the rest of his spine and brain scanned. The rest of his scans were clear. His doctor told him that is probably not the cause of his back pain. On a side note, I also found out he married a girl from my hometown who went to school with me! Small world.

I had a 34 year old patient come in with lower back pain. I had asked him a series of questions about his history including have you ever had back surgery. He responded with "yes, I had a lipoma removed off my back". Many of times patients come in with lipomas on their back. Patients present with a palpable mass on their back side somewhere and they usually turn out to be just lipomas. So, imagine my surprise when I ran his scans to find this intradural lipoma. I have never seen one before, so I thought it was very interesting. I called one of my neuroradiologists and asked if they would need contrast and he said none was needed. He only asked I made sure to do a block of T1 Axials through the lipoma. I think this case made me realize how thorough I should be with a history. I assumed with him he was talking about something else, luckily I was able to see his pathology and do the proper images.

February-Spring Semester

It seems in the past month I have had so many patients come in who are claustrophobic. I always feel as if it is a challenge whenever someone comes in and initially can not do their test, but I am them able to convince them to do it. I feel I have an advantage because I too am very claustrophobic. My facility offers movie goggles and that seems to help a lot of people deal with the MRI. But, sometimes that is not enough. I am an advocate of putting something over the patient's eyes. Along with covering the paitent's eyes, I also give them a squeeze ball to get a hold of me; I also talk to them after every series to let them know how long each scan is programmed; and finally my favorite thing to do is to tape an oxygen tube to the paitent's chest so that it blows constant air on the paitient's face. Having the oxygen tube on blowing on my face is the only way you will ever get me into the MRI tube! My patients always get a kick out of me when I tell them, I have a hard time going into the scanner. I think this is a huge advantage because I gain the patient's trust and can emphasize with them when it comes to this disorder.