The department’s MRI section is manned by well-trained personnel. Dedicated MRI radiologic technologists, who underwent further training for this modality, perform the MRI procedures. Our radiologists, who are also affiliated to other reputable institutions, are always present during the examination, making sure that quality images are obtained, and later on, interpreted to arrive at a diagnosis.

Equipment:

SIEMENS MAGNETOM CONCERTO
Siemens Leonardo Work Station
Kodak DryView 8900 Laser Imager

MRI examinations that we do are the following:

Brain
Head and Neck (nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, temporal bone, infratemporal fossa, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, salivary glands, tongue, buccal mucosa, temporomandibular joints)
Orbits
Spine (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum)
Joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle, foot)
Chest (chest wall, mediastinum and hilum)
Abdomen and Pelvis (gastrointestinal tract, MR Cholangio-pancreatography, genitourinary tract, MR urography, liver transplant, kidney transplant)
MR Angiography (cerebral, carotid, thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta)

Test area: MRI Section, Department of Radiological Sciences, Annex I Building

Facilitation of MRI request:

1. Present doctor’s MRI request (preferably with brief history, PE and working diagnosis) to the Reception Area of the Radiology Department for evaluation and registration.
2. Fill-up MRI form/checklist and sign a consent form. It is important to write down your contact numbers (cellphone or landline) just in case of additional inquiries. If the patient is under 18 years of age, the parent or guardian will sign the consent form.
3. The receptionist will instruct the patient or the relatives to proceed to the MRI section, then present the MRI form/checklist and consent form to the MRI technologist. Wait for your turn to be called in for the examination.
4. Charging can be done before or after the MRI procedure, since some procedures require certain supplies to be used (e.g. contrast, syringe, NSS, IV tubing). This will avoid repeated trips to the Cashier Section.
5. Proceed to the Cashier Section for the payment (Annex I Building, near the CT Scan Section-until 3:00 PM only, or at the main NKTI building – beyond 3:00 PM).
6. Present the receipt to the Reception Area of the Radiology Department for encoding.
7. Keep the receipt, which will then be used to claim the result.

MRI requests will be entertained at the reception area from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Saturdays are reserved for scheduled MRI procedures (morning only) and emergency cases. Scheduled MRI procedures are preferred.

For scheduling and further inquiries, you may call the following numbers:

Direct Line: (63) (2) 926-8934
Trunk Line: (63) (2) 924-3601 to 09 local 1115

Patient Preparation:

When MRI of the abdomen and pelvis (with or without contrast) are requested, fasting of 3-4 hours is necessary to rest the bowels. Other contrast-enhanced procedures also require at least 2 hours fasting to prevent possible aspiration as a result of contrast reaction. For other MR examinations without contrast, fasting is not required.

The MRI procedure will take some time, so the patient is advised to go to the toilet to urinate prior to the test, unless told not to do so. Since the patient must remain still during the procedure, this might be difficult to those who have back problems. In such cases as well as with children, sedation would be required. Clearance for sedation should be acquired from the attending physician prior to the examination. Kindly coordinate with the MR technologist or the radiologist regarding this matter ahead of time, so that proper referral and scheduling will be made to the Anesthesia Department. Attending physician who wishes to accompany and sedate their patient during the procedure may be allowed.

Before the procedure, the patient must inform the MR technologist or the radiologist of previous surgery, particularly those associated with implants, stents, clips, catheters, and prosthesis.

In-patient Transportation :

MRI-compatible (non-ferromagnetic) wheelchair or stretcher are provided for non-ambulatory patients.

During the MR Examination:

After removing all metallic objects or any clothing with metallic material, the patient will be escorted by the MR technologist into the examining room. The patient will be asked to lie down on the MR examining table and positioned accordingly. Radiofrequency coils will be placed by the technologist on the surface of the anatomic region of interest. The table will then be moved into the magnet.

The patient will be provided with a buzzer to be used to notify the technologist if he wishes to say or do something. Pulse and respiratory gating equipment are attached to the patient if needed. The technologist will stay in his workstation but he can check on the patient from time to time through a microphone speaker system and viewing glass.

While the examination is going on, the patient will hear certain noise, which will last for several minutes. This is just a normal phenomenon. To minimize hearing irritation, ear plugs will be provided.

Contrast administration, when needed, is injected intravenously.

Once the examination is completed, the technologist will then assist the patient in getting off the table.

Test Time :

An average complete MRI scan takes about 30-60 minutes to perform. Additional images, may be requested by the radiologist to confirm certain findings to diagnose the patient properly.

Post Procedure :

Although hypersensitivity to MR contrast medium is very rare, patients are instructed to observe for allergic reaction/s (e.g. skin rashes, difficulty of breathing, sneezing, watery and itchy eyes) which may occur immediately or several hours after the examination. If reactions do occur, the patient should inform the radiologist, contact his referring physician or go directly to an emergency room for evaluation and treatment.

Results:

Results and films will be released at the Result and Borrowing Section of the Department of Radiological Sciences on the date and time specified by the radiologist. Releasing Section is open Mondays to Fridays at 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturdays at 8:00 AM to 12:00 NN.

For those whom immediate intervention is necessary, provisional results will be provided immediately after the examination.

Points of Emphasis:

• Obese patients or those who have unusually increased abdominal girths or wide shoulders, may not fit within the coils.
• Contraindications may include patients who have pacemakers, heart valves, metal implants, difficulty of breathing, unstable condition requiring life support machines/monitoring devices.
• Patients must remove all jewelries, watches, pins, cellphones, ATM cards or any card with magnetic tape, etc., before entering the MR examination room.