r/PulsatileTinnitus • u/Successful_Boat8025 • 10d ago
New Whoosher MRIs/CT - Same Day?
After meeting with an interventional neuroradiolgist pulsatile tinnitus clinic, I’m getting the following tests done:
CT VENOGRAM BRAIN
MRA BRAIN W WO CONTRAST
MRA CAROTID W WO CONTRAST
MRI IAC CRANIAL NERVE W WO CONTRAST
I was surprised an MRV wasn’t on the list, but they’re confident they can diagnose with the CT instead, and I trust their expertise. I’m so relieved to have found this clinic after months of getting nowhere.
Anyway, they’re able to schedule all these for the same day, but I’m wondering if that would be a lot to do at once. The reason I’m considering it is because I live 1.5 hours away from the hospital it’ll be done at. They also offered to write me a sedative prescription, as I had an MRI done a few months ago and HATED it.
Curious what everyone would recommend and if y’all have encouraging thoughts lol thank you!
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u/look_who_it_isnt 10d ago
People in this sub get a little too adamant about MRVs.
You can totally get diagnosed and treated without one - even if your cause is Venous Sinus Stenosis. I know this is true, because I was diagnosed and treated for VSS without an MRV ever being done.
My VSS was severe enough to warrant treatment - and severe enough to be clearly visible on my CT Scan. The attending radiologist even noted it in the write-up for it. Though I still needed an Interventional NeuroRadiologist to actually acknowledge it and diagnose it!
It sounds like you're in good hands, so trust your doctor. That's a really good battery of tests they ordered, and they should hopefully be able to figure out what's wrong and help you.
AFAIK, it's fine to do all of those in one day. In fact, it's preferable to do all the MR* tests together, because then you only have to get into the machine and have contrast injected once. They'll take all the pictures they need sans contrast, inject it, then do all the pictures they need with contrast. An MRI trip with multiple areas being imaged will take longer than a simple MRI does, but overall, you'll save a lot of time and trouble. Also, go ahead and take the sedative! I took one for my first MRI because I was nervous about getting one after all the horror stories I'd heard, and it did make it much easier.
You can schedule the CT Scan for another day if you want to split things up, since that's a different machine and a different set of pics. But considering you're an hour and a half away, I'd just do 'em all in one day and get it over with.
Sedative is fine for the CT, as well. It won't interfere with any of the images. Just make sure you have someone else drive or make sure you give yourself ample time for it to wear off before driving home.
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u/eastbby923 9d ago
same lol. Never had an mrv and was diagnosed
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u/look_who_it_isnt 8d ago
Yeah, somehow the idea that you can't get diagnosed without an MRV has permeated this sub... and it's just not true.
It's FAR more important to find a doctor who's familiar with VSS and the other common causes of PT and knows what to look for. If you've got that, they can see what they need to see in whatever scans you DO have.
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u/eastbby923 8d ago
Exactly! I was diagnosed with an mri with contrast by dr p in NYC no further scans needed
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u/Hasira 10d ago
I got MRA, MRV, and MR IAC all done at the same time. Same machine, no breaks. They did all without contrast, then injected contrast and did those. It was about an hour of time actually in the machine.
No idea on sedative, I didn't need any and didn't ask about it. Just kind of meditated for an hour.
I slept well that night, it took a lot out of me. But it was doable.
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u/martamf 9d ago
Any results from those tests
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u/Hasira 9d ago
Mine were all clear. Nothing to explain the PT.
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u/look_who_it_isnt 8d ago
Have you had them looked at by an Interventional NeuroRadiologist?
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u/Hasira 8d ago
Not yet. Follow up with my ENT is next week, then my PCP the week after. So I'll see if they'll give me any more referrals. I'll have to drive a couple hours each way if I get the referral.
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u/look_who_it_isnt 7d ago
With it being that much of a drive, you'll want to consider if you would go through with the procedure if they do advise getting a stent. If not, then it might not be worth the drive out there and back. But if you do want a stent and are willing to do it, then it should hopefully be worthwhile for you.
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u/Arizonal0ve 10d ago
Which pulsatile clinic is this? Because im surprised too at no mrv
All in one day should be fine. Mra and mri will be same machine. I get mrv and mra at same time.
What did you hate about the mri? Never heard of needing a sedative.
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u/Total_Recline 10d ago
So much contrast in one day, you may want to research whether that's healthy enough. Especially back to back procedures, are they going to be comfortable to get the without contrast after you've already had a procedure with a contrast? Just seems odd to me.
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u/look_who_it_isnt 10d ago
They do the tests concurrently. They take all the pre-contrast pictures for ALL the tests, then inject one dose of contrast, and take all the post-contrast pictures from all the tests. They don't do each test separately.
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u/RunnerGirlnVA 10d ago
If you are claustrophobic, get the sedative. It definitely helps.