MRI › Spine mri

Spine MRI in CypressTX for back and neck pain

A spine MRI maps discs, nerve roots and the spinal cord in detail no other study matches, without radiation. Cervical, thoracic and lumbar exams here are read by board certified radiologists.

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30 to 45 minute scan

No radiation

Wide bore scanner

Results in 24 hours

Advanced imaging clear answers right here in Texas

What a spine MRI shows

Why MRI is the standard for spine complaints

X-ray reveals vertebrae and alignment but stops at bone. A spine MRI shows the soft structures causing most back and neck symptoms, including the discs themselves, the spinal cord running through the canal and every nerve root branching outward.

That is precisely why sciatica, numbness travelling down an arm or leg and weakness that will not resolve almost always lead to an MRI order rather than more films.

Conditions a spine MRI is ordered to investigate

  • Herniated disc: material pressing on a nerve root or the cord itself
  • Spinal stenosis: narrowing of the canal or the openings nerves exit through
  • Degenerative disc disease: dehydration, collapse and endplate change
  • Sciatica and radiculopathy: pinpointing exactly which level is involved
  • Spinal cord conditions: MS plaques, syrinx formation, cord compression
  • Infection and tumor: discitis, osteomyelitis, metastatic bone lesions
  • Post surgical evaluation: scar tissue versus recurrent disc material

What the scan itself is like

You lie flat on your back with a bolster placed beneath your knees, which flattens the lumbar curve and makes the position easier to hold. A flat coil sits under the region being imaged rather than around you, so nothing encloses the area being scanned.

Each sequence runs three to five minutes and the scanner knocks loudly while it works. Earplugs or headphones are provided and a squeeze bulb stays in your hand. Only the region ordered enters the scanner fully, so a lumbar study leaves your head near the opening.

Studies performed with contrast and without

Most spine MRI runs without any injection. Contrast becomes necessary when infection or tumor is suspected or when a patient has had previous spine surgery, because gadolinium is what separates scar tissue from a genuinely recurrent disc herniation on the images.

Spine MRI at a glance

Scan time

30 to 45 minutes

Time at the center

About 70 minutes

Radiation

None

Fasting

Not required

Referral

Required from your physician

Regions

Cervical thoracic and lumbar

Report turnaround

Typically 24 hours

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Call (832) 356-0730

Before your appointment

How to prepare for a Spine MRI

Very little is required in advance. Screening for implants and surgical hardware is the step that genuinely matters before a magnet this strong is switched on.

1

Report any spinal hardware

Rods, screws, cages and plates from previous surgery are usually MRI safe, though we need the details in advance. Spinal cord stimulators and pain pumps require specific settings and sometimes a representative present.

2

Eating and medicating normally

No fasting applies to spine imaging. Take pain medication before you arrive if that helps you lie flat comfortably, since staying still for forty minutes is the hardest part for many patients.

3

Choose clothing without metal

Soft pants and a plain shirt work best, avoiding zippers, studs and underwire. Belts and back braces come off before scanning. A gown and a locked cubby are available whenever you need them.

4

Bring prior films and reports

Earlier X-rays, CT scans or MRI discs let the radiologist judge whether a disc has worsened or held steady. That comparison often changes the recommendation your surgeon or pain specialist makes.

Other MRI studies

Related scans we perform

Ordered for a different region? Begin here instead.

Full Body MRI

Broad preventive survey across major organs

Cardiac MRI

Heart muscle, chamber volume and scar tissue

Musculoskeletal MRI

Ligament, tendon and cartilage injury

Brain MRI

Stroke lesions, tumors and MS plaques

Bone X-Ray

Fracture confirmation and healing checks

Spine X-Ray

Alignment, curvature and compression fractures

Common questions

Brain MRI questions patients ask

MRI displays the nerve root and whatever is pressing against it, whether that is disc material, a bone spur or thickened ligament. The report names the exact level involved, which is what guides an injection or a surgical plan.

Your physician decides based on where symptoms point. Leg pain usually means lumbar, arm pain means cervical. Each region is billed and scanned separately, so ordering all three takes considerably longer and is reserved for specific situations.

Often but not always. MRI is excellent at structural causes such as herniation and stenosis. Muscular pain and many chronic cases show nothing abnormal and plenty of people have disc bulges on imaging with no symptoms whatsoever.

Nearly always yes. Titanium and modern stainless rods scan safely, though the metal creates local distortion around itself. Tell us what was implanted and when and bring the surgical card if your surgeon gave you one.

The scan runs about 30 minutes for a routine lumbar study without contrast. Adding contrast extends it by roughly 15 minutes. Plan on 70 minutes at the center overall once registration and changing are included.

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Book your spine MRI appointment

Send your referral over and we will complete safety screening, verify your coverage and hold a time. Our center sits at 18057 HWY 105 Suite 250 in Cypress, serving Conroe and Willis.

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