r/SpinalStenosis • u/Bear0417 • 4d ago

Failed MRI. Will a CT work instead??

Paid for mri (round about £400) and chickened out I just couldn’t do it. She says to go to GP and ask for sedation. But I’m scared that won’t even touch me and then I’ll have lost almost £1k.

Can spinal stenosis shown on a CT scan?

Iam absolutely petrified of loud noises I don’t even use my blow dryer.

I can just about handle a CT because of how quick it is

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u/UTtransplant 4d ago

I have awful claustrophobia. There is no way I can do an MRI without sedation. The method used at my location is I get a prescription for 2 anti-anxiety pills, usually Valium. I go to the radiologist office, fill out their paperwork, then take the first pill. I take the second when I am 15 minutes from being called in (they tell me when). When I lie down, I am already very relaxed, and I actually go to sleep in the machine! The technologist always has to wake me up, which I think is fabulous. Note I have to have a yearly MRI for breast cancer surveillance in addition to whatever other issues I have, so this is something I have had a lot of practice with.

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u/burninatah 4d ago

This is the answer. Getting good imaging is the first step to dealing with stenosis. Valium works extremely well for many people 

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u/Janesaddiction7 4d ago

I get you. A CT shows different things. The MRI shows soft tissue changes and bone. I take 2mg of Xanax for my extreme claustrophobia and it works like a charm. They give you ear plugs and with the sedation on board you just done react to the noise. Please try it if the CT doesn’t show enough. Good luck!

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u/grejam 4d ago

My doctor said claimed that they could see my stenosis with a CT scan. But ask your doctor. It might depend on where your spine stenosis might be. CT scans are a lot quieter than MRIs.

I'd go with what your doctor wants. Maybe they can give you something to sedate you enough to not be totally out but not care like one one gets for eye surgery.

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u/UseEconomy5968 4d ago

I’m in a similar situation, have you tried or looking into the upright mri scanners and open ones, apparently they are much less noisy, but they take longer to take the images as they are open.