Guest guest Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 Hi, I have hip pain that is really bad today, it is in both hips but is more severe in my right side and seems to wrap around to my lower back...just had x-rays and the rheumy stated that it does'nt show much. l am wondering if l should have an mri? what does an mri do that x-rays don't? Can there be joint damage that does'nt show in an x-ray? Thank you all for any response's....Arla ps..the hip is worse today but l have pain all over [Editor's Note: An MRI can often detect things that an xray misses. I had a broken bone in my foot (fifth metatarsal) that an xray did not detect but both an MRI and a bone scan showed very clearly. While x-ray images are among the clearest, most detailed views of bone, they provide little information about the adjacent soft tissues which is where an MRI tends to excel. Soft tissue damage is a big issue for those of us with PA and xrays are not very helpful here. MRIs are also much better at detecting hairline fractures that an xray misses. Both xrays and MRIs have a place in medicine. Since the xray failed to show much of anything but your pain is real, I would push your rheumy to order an MRI. Ignoring your pain does harm to you and your rheumy has taken an oath not to do that, so insist that further tests be done to help zero in on this. Kathy F.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 I'll give you an example of what Kathy is referring to. Last year, I had a visit with my ortho surgeon for severe pain in my right knee. I have a history of a torn meniscus and my rheumy suspected osteoarthritis (which it was not). The X-Ray showed a 'normal knee'. The MRI showed extensive arthritic changes (the bones have damage due to PA destruction and remodeling) and destroyed cartilage. The only cure is a knee replacement. The point is that an X-Ray will show solid masses but not detail. It cannot show bone behind bone as in the inner parts of my knee and, when the goal is to X-Ray bone, it does not show the soft tissue (cartilage, vessels, tendons, etc.) and does not always show bone damage. If the goal is to view soft tissues, as in an abdominal X-ray, the X-ray film still only shows the 'big picture', not details needed to determine exactly the condition of the areas covered... Hope this helps..Good luck, Arla. Get the MRI! gentle hugs, Delane No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.1/778 - Release Date: 4/27/2007 1:39 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2007 Report Share Posted April 29, 2007 The MRI can image different layers of you body tissue in great detail and can reveal things with higher resolution that X-rays I had has some hip pain related to my PA and had an MRI. It revealed a torn acetablular labrum. My rheumy thinks the swelling from the PA caused the tear in my labrum, which now causes pain that it isindependent of swelling from the PA. The goal with treating the PA it to prevent irreversible joint damage, so it would wise to find out exactly what is going on and treat it. > > Hi, > I have hip pain that is really bad today, it is in both hips but is > more severe in my right side and seems to wrap around to my lower > back...just had x-rays and the rheumy stated that it does'nt show much. > l am wondering if l should have an mri? what does an mri do that x-rays > don't? Can there be joint damage that does'nt show in an x-ray? Thank > you all for any response's....Arla > ps..the hip is worse today but l have pain all over > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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