A cheaper alternative to an MRI is a CT scan which is usually half the price and cost of an MRI scan.
The average cost of a CT scan is around $1,200.00 and the average cost of an MRI is around $2,000.00.
CT scans also take less time than MRI scans do.
MRI scans are generally considered as providing more accurate imagery and are therefore used for diagnosing conditions associated with your bones, organs or joints.
And CT scans are often used to identify any bone fractures, tumors, or internal bleeding.
Reasons for getting an MRI scan could include torn ligaments.
A CT scan is better for showing bone and joint issues, blood clots, and some organ injuries, while an MRI is better for inflammation, torn ligaments, nerve and spinal problems, and soft tissues.
If you need an MRI scan but feel that lying down in a tunnel scanner for an extended period may trigger claustrophobia symptoms, you may want to consider an upright open scanner where you are scanned in either a sitting or standing position, as an alternative.
An MRI machine uses powerful magnets that can attract any metal in your body.
If this happens, you could get hurt.
It can also damage equipment that's implanted in your body a pacemaker or cochlear implant, for instance.
Even with advanced diagnostic imaging like MRI scans, some injuries, including soft tissue injuries and nerve damage, can be difficult to identify definitively.
If your MRI scan came back normal, but you're still in pain, it may have failed to detect such an injury.