Sports Medicine
A Crucial Period
Good Pain, Bad Pain
On Your Knees
Secondary Injuries
Imaging Technology
What's Sciatica?
The Female Athlete
Putting Your Feet First
Itis Schmitis
Too Much, Too Soon
Under the Influence
Twisted
What's Goin' On?
Think Inches, Not Pounds
Preventing Vaginitis
That Painful Pull
Athlete's Heart
Exercise & Arthritis
Chilled to the Bone
Measuring Body Fat
Exercise and Your Breasts
Choosing a Sports Doctor
Lean on Me (Shoulder)
Exercise & Anemia
Exercise Abuse
Pelvis Sighting
Hand Aid
It's All in the Wrist
Back in Action
Altitude Adjustment
Tennis Elbow, Anyone?
Exercising in the Heat
Agony of the Feet
Restless Legs
Night Time Cramps
Birth Control Concerns
No Periods, No Babies?
Post Partum Prescription
Weight Loss Mystery
Undesirable Cooldown
To Brew Or Not To Brew
Fitness After Baby
Biking and Back Pain
Swimmer's Shoulder
A Hidden Athlete
Avoiding Osteoporosis
Drug Testing
Maximum Heart Rate
Headway Against Headaches
Torn Rotator Cuff
Fat Figures
SOS About PMS
Bloody Urine
Sag Story
Lackluster Leg
Bothersome Bulge
Gaining in Years
Taking It On the Shin
Aching Ankles
Hoop Help
Tender Toes
Meals For Muscle
Growing Pains
Hot Tips
High Altitude PMS
Personal Bests
Air Pollution
Ankle Blues
Heartbreak Heel
Yeast Relief

Imaging Technology

Interior Landscapes

Medical science has made some phenomenal strides in diagnostic techniques in recent years, and among them is magnetic resonance imaging, commonly referred to as MRI. This process can produce images of internal body structures as clear and detailed as an Ansel Adams landscape.

MRI is particularly beneficial to sports medicine because of the sharp contrast it provides between muscle, tendon, cartilage, ligaments, blood vessels, cortical bone and bone-marrow space. An accurate diagnosis of injury is essential to planning treatment and recovery, and MRI gives us an unprecedented look into the human body.

One advantage of the technique is that you are not subjected to radiation as with X-rays or bone scans. However, the procedure requires you to lie quietly for 30 minutes to 90 minutes in a tube like chamber; depending on the complexity of the image.

Some patients simply fall asleep, but for those who are claustrophobic, lying in an MRI chamber can be a scary; even terrifying experience. New types of MRI chambers are therefore being developed with a more open design, so that, for example, children who have MRI may be able to view their parents during the entire procedure.

MRI works by first aligning the hydrogen protons in your body's cells with a magnetic field. Radio frequency pulses are then directed to a specific anatomical slice, causing the hydrogen protons to spin perpendicular to the magnetic field.

As the protons return to alignment with the magnetic field, a special coil acting as an antenna receives the change in signal. This signal is then analyzed by computer; and a diagnostic image is generated on a screen. There are different coils designed for specific body parts.

You do not see or feel anything during the procedure, and you recover in the time it takes you to sit up from a reclining position. The only evidence that the machine is working is a knocking sound. There is no special preparation for an MRI; you can eat normally beforehand and go about your daily routine.

Is the procedure really painless?

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Table of Contents

Foreword: Billie Jean King

Comments by Barb Harris
Editor in Chief,
Shape Magazine



General Health
Nutrition
Exercise
Common Medical Problems
Dental Health
Emergency!
Infectious Disease
Sexual Health
Emotional Well-Being
Eating Disorders
Alcohol & Other Drugs
Environmental Health
Prevention


The information in this web site is for educational purposes only and is not providing medical or professional advice. It should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. If you have or suspect you might have any health problems, you should consult a physician.


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