Meniscus Tear MRI?-Please Read This

Key points: Meniscus tears in middle-aged or older people are as important as wrinkles – they are a sign of normal aging New research shows that all sorts of once serious findings exist in the knees of patients without pain Many studies now show that the most commonly used surgery to treat meniscus tears doesn’t…read more

MRI of the Shoulder: A Great Tool or a Fool’s Errand?

I’ve blogged many times about our penchant as a medical care system to over-interpret MRI results. Because of the attention physicians place on these tests and the decrease of reliance on physical exam, patients often believe that their MRI report was written by the oracle of Delphi and contains explanations of all of the hidden…read more

Why Are So Many Patients Willing to Have Surgery Based on MRI Findings Alone?

I love MRI. It’s amazing to me how there’s often more information on these studies that can help my patients than is written about by the reading radiologist. Having said that, MRI is also an abused tool that has been ascribed mythical status by patients and physicians that it often doesn’t deserve. It’s also made…read more

We Should Never Be Proud of MRIs That Show Holes Burned in Patient’s Bodies…

A new study was recently published on a new treatment for back pain due to degenerative discs. Ordinarily, I would be excited, as what’s not to like about another treatment option for back-pain patients. However, the problem with this one is that it works by blasting a hole in the vertebrae? Yep, you heard that…read more

A 12-Year Compilation of Before and After Orthopedic Stem Cell MRIs

Patients want to see results. In some instances, when stem cells are used to treat orthopedic problems, if the procedures are done correctly, you can show patients amazing changes on an MRI taken after the procedure. In other circumstances, little changes are seen. Given that we were the first clinic on earth to do many…read more

Getting the Right MRI: What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You

One thing that surprises patients is that there can be huge differences in the quality of MRIs. I experienced this yesterday when performing a phone review with a patient. The MRI I was presented with had an image quality that was circa 1990. Since we see this from time to time, I thought it was…read more

Using MRI to Measure CSF Flow in Patients with CCJ Instability

We will learn more about the human neuromusculoskeletal system in the next few decades than we have learned in the last several hundred years. If you need proof of that, just take a look at some truly inspired technology being used in upstate NY by Scott Rosa and Dave Harshfield. Dr. Rosa and I have worked…read more

New Research: An MRI with Stenosis Doesn’t Diagnose Your Pain

We have all been taught that what shows up on an MRI is incredibly important—so much so that countless invasive surgeries are launched based on a picture and a cursory exam. Despite this, study after study continues to show just how bad MRI is at predicting who’s in pain. However, one of the sacred cows…read more