What is an MRI or EEG like exactly?!


Question: What is an MRI or EEG like exactly.?
I'm having MRI and EEG tests coming up shortly and I'm not really sure what I'm letting myself in for. I've been diagnosed as epileptic, but as I'm still in the testing stage to make sure that its definately epilepsy and not like a tumour or something then I'm having umpteen tests.
So, if anyone here can tell me exactly what an MRI or EEG actually entail that would be brilliant!!
Thanks!Health Question & Answer


Answers:
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. Special sensors (electrodes) are attached to your head and hooked by wires to a computer. The computer records your brain's electrical activity on the screen or on paper as wavy lines. Certain conditions, such as seizures, can be seen by the changes in the normal pattern of the brain's electrical activity.

Why It Is Done
An electroencephalogram (EEG) may be done to:

Diagnose epilepsy and see what type of seizures are occurring. EEG is the most useful and important test in confirming a diagnosis of epilepsy.
Check for problems with loss of consciousness or dementia.
Help find out a person's chance of recovery after a change in consciousness.
Find out if a person who is in a coma is brain-dead.
Study sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy.
Watch brain activity while a person is receiving general anesthesia during brain surgery.
Help find out if a person has a physical problem (problems in the brain, spinal cord, or nervous system) or a mental health problem.
How To Prepare
Before the day of the electroencephalogram (EEG) test, tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain medicines (such as sedatives and tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, sleeping aids, or medicines used to treat seizures) before the test. These medicines can affect your brain's usual electrical activity and cause abnormal test results.

Do not eat or drink foods that have caffeine (such as coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate) for 8 hours before the test.

Since the electrodes are attached to your scalp, it is important that your hair be clean and free of sprays, oils, creams, and lotions. Shampoo your hair and rinse with clear water the evening before or the morning of the test. Do not put any hair conditioner or oil on after shampooing.

To find certain types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, you may have to be asleep during the recording. You may be asked not to sleep at all the night before the test or to sleep less (about 4 or 5 hours) by going to bed later and getting up earlier than usual. If your child is going to be tested, try to keep him or her from taking naps just before the test. If you know that you are going to have a sleep-deprived EEG, plan to have someone drive you to and from the test.

How It Is Done
An electroencephalogram (EEG) may be done in a hospital or in a doctor's office by an EEG technologist. The EEG record is read by a doctor who is specially trained to diagnose and treat disorders affecting the nervous system (neurologist).
You will be asked to lie on your back on a bed or table or relax in a chair with your eyes closed. The EEG technologist will attach 16 to 25 flat metal discs (electrodes) to different places on your head, using a sticky paste to hold the electrodes in place. A cap with fixed electrodes may be placed on your head instead of individual electrodes. In rare cases, these electrodes may be attached to the scalp with tiny needles.

The electrodes are hooked by wires to a computer that records the electrical activity inside the brain. A machine can show the activity as a series of wavy lines drawn by a row of pens on a moving piece of paper or as an image on the computer screen.

Lie still with your eyes closed during the recording, and do not talk to the technologist unless you need to. The technologist will watch you directly or through a window during the test. The recording may be stopped from time to time to allow you to stretch and reposition yourself.

The technologist may ask you to do different things during the test to record what activity your brain does at that time.

You may be asked to breathe deeply and rapidly (hyperventilate). Usually you will take 20 breaths a minute for 3 minutes.
You may be asked to look at a bright, flashing light called a strobe. This is called photic or stroboscopic stimulation.
You may be asked to go to sleep. If you cannot fall asleep, you may be given a sedative to help you fall asleep. If an EEG is being done to check a sleep problem, an all-night recording of your brain's electrical activity may be done.
An EEG takes 1 to 2 hours. After the test, you may do your normal activities. But if you were sleep-deprived or given a sleep medicine, have someone drive you home after the test.




What is MRI of the Head.?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

MR imaging uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. The images can then be examined on a computer monitor, printed or copied to CD. MRI does not use ionizing radiation (x-rays).

Detailed MR images allow physicians to better evaluate parts of the body and certain diseases thatHealth Question & Answer

For an MRI scan:
You put on a hospital gown, remove all jewellery.
You lie down . If the image is of your head they will immobilise your head with a contraption that looks like boxers head gear.
If you they need to apply a "contrast" (a type of dye that shows up on the image) they

The consumer health information on youqa.cn is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2012 YouQA.cn -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Q&A Resources