What Is an Arthrogram?
An arthrogram is a special x-ray procedure that is done with contrast media (x-ray dye), and sometimes air, to visualize the soft tissue component in a joint. Do I need to follow any special instructions to be ready for an arthrogram? If there is a possibility that you are pregnant, please inform your physician before the procedure, as the procedure may have to be postponed or cancelled. There are no diet restrictions for this examination. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. Should you be admitted to hospital, please inform your physician about your appointment. If you have had recent x-rays elsewhere of the joint we are doing the arthrogram on, please bring them with you. Who will perform the procedure? The procedure will be performed by a radiologist (a specialist medical doctor). An x-ray technologist will assist. What happens to me during the procedure? The radiologist and/or technologist will ask you questions about your medical hist
An arthrogram is an X-ray exam of a joint. The doctor injects a contrast into the joint. Why is it done? Your doctor ordered an arthrogram to get a clearer picture of what is happening to the cartilage in your joint. Unlike bone, cartilage does not show up well on a regular X-ray. MRI, with an injection of a contrast, can show cartilage tears in a joint better. Most often, arthrograms are done on the knee and hip joints. They may also be done on shoulders, elbows and wrists. How is it done? Before you have this test, please tell your doctor if you are claustrophobic, allergic to iodine or numbing medicines. If you are claustrophobic, you can be given medicines to help you get through the MRI scan. You will be taken into the arthrogram room and asked to lie on an X-ray table. The technologist or the doctor will ask you if you have any allergies to contrasts, numbing drugs, or iodine. You will be asked to sign a permission form to do the procedure. The doctor will inject a numbing drug (
An arthrogram is a medical procedure in which images of a joint are produced after it is injected with a contrast medium, a substance that improves visibility of the structures to be examined. The images in an arthrogram can be produced through x-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. An arthrogram is either diagnostic, with the purpose of determining the source of any illness or defects in the joint, or therapeutic, as a form of treatment for a known condition. Either ultrasound or fluoroscopy, an x-ray procedure, is used to inspect the joint before the arthrogram is performed. The technician uses these methods to correctly place the needle within the joint to inject the contrast medium, which may be gaseous, water-soluble, or both, depending on the type of images desired. The injection is usually performed under local anaesthetic. Next, images are collected using either fluoroscopy or CT or MRI scans. Fluoroscopy can produce images from a
Arthrography is a type of X-Ray examination that uses a contrast agent to image an anatomical joint, such as the knee, shoulder, elbow or wrist. An MRI arthrogram is an imaging procedure that demonstrates the structures of the joint, including cartilage, ligaments and bursa (the fluid-filled joint capsule) allowing the radiologist to assess the anatomy and function of the joint. An MRI arthrogram is needed when a problem with the joint cartilage is suspected. The procedure is also used to help diagnose persistent, unexplained joint pain or discomfort.
