You might wonder why it would be important to have a detailed visualization of thigh anatomy. There are several reasons. The main one being that a lot of competitive sports injuries could involve the thigh area. Think of soccer players, for example. The way they kick and twist their bodies at all angles makes them prime candidates for these types of injuries.
Machines that use Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are very important in helping the training staff of the injured player learn the severity of the injury so that they can plan the recovery process. The player may have to just rest a bit or they may need to have surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. Without the MRI, it would be hard to pinpoint what happened in the thigh area, since it’s a unique part of the body.
The MRI Process
The person undergoing the MRI will likely get an IV of a dye that helps pinpoint the exact area of the injury. They shouldn’t wear anything metal, like chains, since the magnetic field is a very strong one. The machine looks like a long tube and the person will rest on a table that moves in and out of the tube. They may be given ear protection since the machine is very loud.
Overall, aside from the IV, the process is non-invasive and painless. Once the results are in, they will be sent to the training staff and also likely the doctor. But what will the MRI wind up detecting?
An MRI Can Detect Deep Damage
By “deep damage,” we mean that an injury happens deep inside the thigh muscle. There can be bleeding inside of the muscle and that results in something called a hematoma. An MRI can pick that up better than some other methods of imaging.
This will also include things like partial and complete muscle tears. That way, the training staff will know exactly what they are dealing with. It gives a much higher degree of certainty than what was used in previous decades.
An MRI Can Detect Other Things
The main thing here is that it helps the medical staff work their way through an injured person’s thigh anatomy. They need to know the extent of the injury … otherwise they risk not coming to a proper diagnosis and could choose the wrong method of treatment and possibly create even more injuries.
This technology has been around since 1974. Over the years, the MRI manufacturers have improved and refined things and improved the imaging. They are an integral part of diagnosing injuries. Fans of all sports are likely familiar with hearing about a player on the team they root for going in for an MRI.
The MRI is used for far more than just figuring out thigh anatomy. It can image many other body parts and it is a crucial part of medicine – whether it is for the highest caliber of professional athlete or a middle-aged weekend warrior. It looks like MRIs will be done for many more years to come for the benefit of many.
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