Diagnostics | Joint Diseases | Diagnoseklinik München
When your joints hurt…
Many, many people have problems with their joints. A great number of diseases can be responsible for this pain. Imaging diagnostics help to detect the causes of these diseases. In addition to X-rays and CT, the Diagnoseklinik uses magnetic resonance imaging, which is particularly gentle and accurate. In many cases, only MRI provides precise information about muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints, since the contrast in soft parts is poorer for other imaging methods such as X-ray, CT and sonography, or the anatomy interferes with clarity. Magnetic resonance imaging gives orthopaedists and trauma surgeons clear indications of whether a joint operation is necessary or reasonable. A special MRI scanner for joints is available for this diagnostic work in the Diagnoseklinik; this scanner is available in only a few facilities in Germany.
Magnetic resonance imaging allows a differential presentation of body tissues and organs by using magnetic fields and radio waves. Even the smallest changes are visible in the so-called tomogram. Magnetic resonance imaging is also the ideal diagnostic method for problems with joints. A suspicion of a rheumatic disease of the hands, feet or joints can be evaluated accurately with this examination. Magnetic resonance imaging is especially good at providing convincing results in early diagnostics: bony changes can be detected earlier and soft tissue involvement such as joint inflammation and tendon sheath inflammation can be seen. The most frequently examined joint is the knee. Information on the internal knee structures (menisci, cruciate ligaments and cartilage) can be obtained only by magnetic resonance if one wishes to avoid an open operation or endoscopy.
The Diagnoseklinik offers patients with joint diseases and injuries a particularly comfortable and informative examination:
for the examination with the new “Hochfeld- Gelenk-MRT Oni MSK Extreme” the patient, including the entire body, is not pushed into the scanner, but sits comfortably and relaxed in an easy chair and places only the hand, arm, foot or leg to be examined into an examination coil. The magnet itself is only as big as needed for the joint to be examined. A total of six coil sizes are available, so that the joints of children as well as those of adult athletes can be examined. Another advantage is that there is not much noise, so that in most cases the patient’s ears do not need to be covered or plugged.
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