If you are experiencing consistent pain or numbness throughout your arms, neck, or shoulders, your doctor may recommend getting a cervical spine MRI scan. The cervical area of the spine is located around the neck area and contains the first seven vertebrae of the spine. A cervical spine MRI scan uses magnets and radio waves to capture high-quality images of these key vertebrae in your spine. The results help your doctor determine a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
What Can A Cervical Spine MRI Detect?
Cervical spine MRIs are recommended for patients who are facing pain accompanied by numbness stemming from their neck. The images captured from a cervical spine MRI can detect certain medical conditions and abnormalities including:
- Aneurysms
- Cancer
- Herniated discs
- Joint conditions
- Scoliosis
- Tumors
- Vascular disorders
What Should I Do Before My Cervical Spine MRI?
Your doctor and our team of medical imaging experts will provide specific instructions to follow prior to your appointment. Sometimes, you may be asked not to eat or drink anything for a certain period before your appointment. The requirement of fasting largely depends on what area of the cervical spine is closely being examined.
What Should I Expect During My Cervical Spine MRI?
When you arrive for your appointment, you will be asked to remove any clothing or accessories that contain metal including zippers, jewelry, and piercings. Wearing comfortable clothing to your appointment is recommended. You will be asked to lie down on a bed for the full duration of the study, approximately 30 – 60 minutes. Sometimes, MRI scans may require contrast material to be administered intravenously prior to the study beginning. Contrast material is a painless, colorless dye that helps the MRI focus on capturing more detailed images of specific areas of the neck. All MRI scans, including cervical spine MRIs, involve no radiation.
What Happens After My Cervical Spine MRI?
After the scan is completed, you are allowed to return to all your normal activities. If contrast material was used during your study, be sure to drink a lot of water so the dye can be flushed from your system. Your doctor will receive the results from your cervical spine MRI within 48 hours. Depending on the results, your doctor may request that further medical imaging studies or other diagnostic measures are performed to get the most accurate diagnosis possible.
South Jersey Radiology Associates offers diagnostic and advanced medical imaging studies at up to 60% less than hospital-based imaging centers. With evening and weekend hours available, the ease of obtaining the imaging you need has never been easier. If you are ready to schedule your cervical spine MRI, reach out to any of the following office locations below:
- Marlton (Greentree) Office – Marlton, NJ
- Medford Office – Medford, NJ
- Moorestown Office – Moorestown, NJ
- Mount Laurel Office – Mount Laurel, NJ
- Route 73 (Voorhees) Office – Voorhees Township, NJ
- Sewell (Washington Twp) Office – Sewell, NJ
- Turnersville Office – Turnersville, NJ
- Voorhees (Carnie Blvd) Office – Voorhees Township, NJ
- West Deptford Office – West Deptford, NJ
- Willingboro Office – Willingboro, NJ
Learn more about the board-certified subspecialized radiologists who read and interpret studies at SJRA here.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cervical spine MRI can detect various medical conditions and abnormalities, including aneurysms, cancer, herniated discs, joint conditions, scoliosis, tumors, and vascular disorders. By capturing high-quality images of the cervical vertebrae, the MRI helps doctors determine a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for patients experiencing pain and numbness in the arms, neck, or shoulders.
Your doctor and our team of medical imaging experts will provide you with specific instructions to follow before your appointment. In some cases, you may be asked not to eat or drink anything for a certain period before your MRI. The requirement for fasting depends on which area of the cervical spine will be closely examined.
When you arrive for your appointment, you will be asked to remove any clothing or accessories that contain metal, such as zippers, jewelry, and piercings. It’s recommended to wear comfortable clothing. During the MRI, you will lie down on a bed for approximately 15 to 90 minutes. In some cases, contrast material may be administered intravenously or orally prior to the study to enhance the imaging of specific areas. It’s important to note that all MRI scans, including cervical spine MRIs, involve no radiation.
After the scan is completed, you can resume all your normal activities. If contrast material was used during the study, it’s advised to drink plenty of water. Your doctor will receive the results of your cervical spine MRI within 48 hours. Depending on the findings, your doctor may request further medical imaging studies or other diagnostic measures to ensure the most accurate diagnosis possible.
South Jersey Radiology offers diagnostic and advanced medical imaging studies, including cervical spine MRIs. To schedule your cervical spine MRI, you can reach out to any of our conveniently located offices below:
• Marlton (Greentree) Office – Marlton, NJ
• Medford Office – Medford, NJ
• Moorestown Office – Moorestown, NJ
• Mount Laurel Office – Mount Laurel, NJ
• Route 73 (Voorhees) Office – Voorhees Township, NJ
• Sewell (Washington Twp) Office – Sewell, NJ
• Turnersville Office – Turnersville, NJ
• Voorhees (Carnie Blvd) Office – Voorhees Township, NJ
• West Deptford Office – West Deptford, NJ
• Willingboro Office – Willingboro, NJ
Our team of board-certified, subspecialized radiologists reads and interprets all of our MRI scans. You can learn more about our radiologists by visiting our physician profiles.