With regards to my previous thread… Just wanting some advice!!!(May 2013) I have been for brain scan a couple of weeks ago now and I have now received another letter for another scan. I rang the hospital and I was told I need to have another with flair, so the consultant can see in more detail. What does this mean?
Hi OliOli, it means that they couldn’t get a good image in the first MRI so the consultant wants you to have one with flair, often called ‘contrast’ which will give a better image of any lesions… or of lesions that might not have shown up on first MRI (in fact they might not have seen lesions at all so they want to use contrast to see if there are lesions).
They will inject you with something that will improve the MRI image.
Many many people have this procedure… it’s nothing to worry about… no pain or side effects or anything like that.
Take a look at the ‘sticky’ at top of ‘newly diagnosed’ page by Rizzo called ‘Beginners guide to brain’ (or something like that).
There’s a section on MRI.
What it also means is that you have a top notch consultant who is really crossing all the T’s and dotting the i’s!
Hope this helps,
Pat x
Hi OliOli, I’m sorry to disagree slightly with Pat, but I do not think FLAIR and contrast (which involves an intravenous injection) are the same thing. As I understand it, FLAIR is just a different mode of scanning. You may or may not need a contrast injection as well, but probably won’t unless he has specifically asked for it. Our resident MRI expert is away on holiday at the moment, so I’m not going to get into more detail than I can handle. But I do not think you will necessarily be required to undergo any sort of injection, so the practical experience may be very similar to last time. The scanner settings will be different, but this is a subtlety the person being scanned would not be able to notice. Tina
Sorry OliOli… jumping in without checking my info!
Thanks Tina… as I’ve said before… we have to get the info right!
Pat x
Thanx Pat & Tina. Was a bit worried as i wasnt expecting another scan.
It says on the letter that i should report to the TIU 3T scanner!
Its all greek to me! lol
Thanx again for your input!!
Leanne x