Results of MRI enterography

Spooky, how did you tolerate the MRI Enterography procedure (specifically drinking the volumen, injection of the contrast, and injection of the glucaphen to slow down bowel motility)?

Sorry to hear about the ovarian cyst but hopefully it is nothing. I have two cases I am handling right now where incidental findings popped up on an MRI. In one, plaintiff has a cervical MRI for neck pain after a head-on car accident and a tumor was detected in his thyroid, which turned out to be malignant and they had to do a thyroidectomy. In the other case, an MRI detected a chondroid lesion. It amazes me when people who are in car accidents go for MRIs for traumatic injuries and these other incidental findings are made.

Actually, drinking the volumen was probably the easiest part. I was given the solution suspended in orange metamucil - 2 liters in total! I wasn't sure I would be able to get it all down, but I was given an hour to drink it so it wasn't as bad. Needless to say, the rest of the day I was passing a very strange orange gel. *LOL* The injection of Buscopan to slow the bowel, however, is what I did not tolerate well - I had blurred vision for about 45 minutes, which is apparently one of the most common side effects, along with rapid heart rate, which I also had but only for a couple of minutes. The contrast was slightly unpleasant and felt cold going in, but it was nothing like the CT contrast I had a few years ago, which burned so badly that I screamed and they temporarily stopped the procedure. I was surprised, however, to be placed in the MRI machine on my stomach with my arms above my head. I had expected to go in on my back. It was kind of a difficult position to maintain and and one point, I needed to turn my head because my neck was getting kinked, and I was scolded by the technician for moving too much. All in all, it was an interesting experience that I'm not sure I want to repeat any time soon.

Yes, I work in auto insurance, and we do many MRIs/CTs for claimants. Lots of incidental findings, which are usually benign (such as degenerative changes). MRIs are very sensitive and it's amazing what they can turn up.

Anyway, I managed to get an appointment to see my GP Friday about the cyst (I almost had to beg for an appointment-she is just coming back from vacation and is booked pretty solid) so I guess we'll probably end up with another round of testing for lord knows what. It never ends, it seems.

Spooky,

I have had several ovarian cysts over the years. Most resolve on their own. I would not get too concerned about that as they often show up coincidentally on my MRI scans. I actually had on appear on my last MRI six months ago. I think it is a good idea to keep watching the blood counts. Are you having any other symptoms along with the bleeding?


I am seeing my GI tomorrow as I also have issues with chronic bleeding on and off and we thought it was due to my chronic cuffitis, but the last three nights my pouch has been in overdrive with active pouchitis and bleeding so I have started cipro yet again today .
Damn pouchitis is so hard to get control of and get rid of. The longest I last off meds is about 4 weeks.

Well, it seems like you got good news. That's quite nice.

Like jeane, I've had ovarian cysts over the years and they just resolved on their own.

jeane, I'm so sorry that you can't seem to catch a break. I wish you could find some relief.

kathy

Spooky,

From what you described, your procedure was a bit different than mine. They did not give me orange metamucil in the volumen, rather it was served straight with no color or flavoring. I was on my back for the entire procedure (they may have had me curl up on my side for one sequence, but I was never on my stomach and was mainly on my back the whole time). In my case, they were looking at the narrowed part of my terminal ileum near the J Pouch, and in your case they were probably looking further up for ulcers.

I had no issue with the injection of the drug to slow bowel motility, but the contrast burned terribly as it went in. I had to tell them to stop because my hand felt like it was on fire. It was like I touched a hot stove. But when they resumed I was okay. I had the same issue with the contrast when they did the CT Enterography on me in 2008. I think the MRI Enterography is a longer and more detailed procedure than the CT Enterography based on my experience.

According to the technician, the reason for the metamucil was to "puff up" the bowel in order to make it more visible. I was actually initially given another medication (I cannot recall the name) which is supposed to speed up the bowel so that the volumen goes through faster.

I think the MRI itself took about 35 minutes in total. I recall the CT scans in the past taking only a couple of minutes. However, the MRI provides a much more detailed picture.

jeane,

The only other bowel symptom I am having is gurgling at the old stoma site. That's not really a new thing but I have been getting it more. Otherwise, there is no pain, frequency and consistency are unchanged. I think that's the main reason my GI just wants to monitor things for now.

Since I'm supposed to be seeing my family doctor Friday now, I'll talk to her about bloodwork. I got the impression from my GI that the bloodwork was to be coordinated through my GP and not through him.

spooky.. I wouldn't be worrying much about that ovarian cyst. I've had them on multitudes of CT scans and a few mris in the last year. None of the doctors care, even when I bring it up to my gyn and urogyn. Guess those things just come and go.

Incidental findings can be a blessing or a curse. I had a CT scan that unexpectedly showed a suspicious mass on my kidney. The cancer it looked like was completely curable at that stage, but quite lethal if it progressed silently. I had a partial nephrectomy, and it turned out to be benign. It was the crappiest great news I've ever gotten, since the surgery proved to be unnecessary, at least in hindsight.