MRI scan of the facial skeleton, eye sockets, mouth, tongue, midface (incl. the nose and nasal cavity), the palate, the sinuses and parasinuses is used to detect anomalies and pathology. The scan allows for great spatial detail of the soft tissues, structures, nerves and nerve paths and thus has an advantage over other modalities.
An MRI scan is often recommended as part of surgical planning.
Some clinical indications are, but not limited to:
- Inflammation in the sinuses
- Deviated septum
- Growth or a lump
- Cause for trigeminal neuralgia
- Before plastic surgery
Contrast (dye)
Some symptoms and illnesses can be hard to detect even on a MRI scan and require injection of dye (contrast) before or during the scan.
It is particularly helpful in the following conditions:
- Tumours
- Inflammation
- Blood vessels
- Distinguishing between scar tissue and normal organ tissue
The injection is considered very safe for most and you will complete a safety questionnaire detailing your medical history before. The contrast agent (dye) is Gadolinium based and most of it is removed by your kidneys within the next day.
Read more about Gadolinium contrast dye