MRI of the soft tissue in the neck is performed for indications suggesting pathology of the anatomy that sits mostly in front of the vertebrae (spinal column), to diagnose injuries, abnormalities, inflammations, or tumours.
“Soft tissue neck” scan area starts at the base of the tongue and goes below collarbones. The common indications for an MRI soft tissue neck are
- Lesion on thyroid detected on other imaging (ultrasound or a CT scan)
- Enlarged thyroid extending into the thoracic cavity past sternoclavicular joints
- Tumours and abnormalities in the soft tissue
- To rule out lymph node pathology
- Front neck pain
The oesophagus and trachea is well visualised on MRI Soft Tissue Neck as well.
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