Finding a Facility for CCI Imaging

[ashleyO]

Hi! Has anyone ever compiled a resource of imaging facilities that have a 3T machine and could perform the upright MRI to determine if a patient has CCI? Or does anyone know of any/how I could go about finding one? Dr. Chheda is considering writing the MRI order for me, but let me know that I'd have to find an imaging center myself, which makes me think that I may be able to convince an in-network doctor to write the order too if I only knew where I could get the imaging done. (Dr. Chheda said that she would attempt to get the imaging covered by my insurance but that, as an out-of-network provider, it is much harder for her to do so.) Any resources/help/advice is appreciated, especially for facilities in the Los Angeles County area. Thank you!

 

[valentinelynx]

a resource of imaging facilities that have a 3T machine and could perform the upright MRI to determine if a patient has CCI?

Which do you want, a 3T supine MRI or an upright MRI? To my knowledge, there are no 3T upright MRI machines. I believe most upright MRIs are 0.6 T.

I'd have to find an imaging center myself

Google, baby!

Los Angeles County area

Here's the results of my Google search for "3T MRI, Los Angeles". Looks like there's a lot of options. Hopefully some are in-network for you, if you opt for a 3T supine MRI.

And for upright MRIs in LA, there appear to be two options:

1. Dynamic Upright MRI:
Dynamic Upright MRI, 5757 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 8, Los Angeles, CA 90036
t: 323.9460.MRI or 323.964.0674 f: 323.456.0139

2. Stand-up MRI of Beverly Hills, which appears to have been bought by SimonMed, but still offering upright MRI at that location:
SimonMed Imaging - Beverly Hills
8370 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 110Beverly Hills, CA 90211(323) 966-0000
Get Directions
Schedule Online

Good luck!

 

[Hip]

You might want to contact the office of the particular neurosurgeon who will interpret the MRI, as they each have their own preferences for imaging.

Dr Paolo Bolognese in a 2018 video at 37:02 says he uses standard supine MRIs, not upright MRIs (he only occasionally uses upright as an additional test).

In the same 2018 video at 48:39 he says you need a cervical MRI, not a brain MRI (because the patient is placed in a different position in a brain MRI). The MRI machine has to be set to create a T2 weighted image. And it must be a mid-sagittal image.

 

[Gingergrrl]

Any resources/help/advice is appreciated, especially for facilities in the Los Angeles County area. Thank you!

Ashley, I can send you a PM re: the facility where I had a 3T cervical MRI in Dec 2018 but it was a regular supine MRI and not an upright MRI and not with flexion/extension, etc. Just let me know if you need it.

 

[Markus83]

Sorry, I'm too tired to read through the forums, so I'm asking here. I have an Upright MRI scan (FONAR Upright MRI) from a German radiologist from the year 2009. It was done to rule out cerivical instability. Do you know if there are specialists who can look over these MRI ? I'm not sure which of the internationally renowned specialists work with Upright MRI and would look at my pictures. I think the german radiologist was not a specialist and certainly not a surgeon.

 

[Mrs Stellar]

I'm considering going to the Welcome Back Clinic in Kamloops, BC to get an upright MRI. Has anybody else been to this clinic? I'm interested in your experience and interactions with Dr. Brownlee. Is he open to working with people with ME and the possibility of CCI?

I would attend with the intention of sending on the images to a specialist in the area but would like to know if Dr. Brownlee might be interested in this type of case or not. As I'm sure most of us are, I'm tired of justifying myself to doctors.