MRI Images Can Reveal More Than the Cause of Your Pain

If you go to your doctor complaining of pain, you can expect tests to be ordered to find the cause of the pain. You will need to know if the pain is from arthritis or some other problem? MRI images are often used to help with the diagnosis. As a matter of fact, it's not uncommon for the patient to suggest an MRI to their doctor in an effort to get quick and accurate results.

According to an article that appeared December 9, 2008 on the New York Times website, MRI images can be deceiving. They may show too much and muddy up the diagnostic process. For example, an MRI can reveal arthritis of the knee and a torn meniscus. But which condition is causing pain? If the pain is really caused by arthritis, repairing the torn meniscus will not solve the problem. The New York Times article is very interesting and shows that sophisticated medical technology and expensive tests can sometimes produce more questions than answers. Read The Pain May Be Real, but the Scan Is Deceiving.

Related Resources:

• Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis
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• Recognizing Early Osteoarthritis Symptoms
• Is MRI of Value in the Clinical Setting?
• Imaging Method Measures GAG Loss in OA

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