MRI and MRA in El Paso

# MRI and MRA in El Paso

Desert Imaging does MRI and MRA at two El Paso centers: West, 122 W. Castellano Dr., and East, 1727 Lee Trevino Dr. West has a 3-Tesla wide-bore magnet with a 75 cm opening for patients who dread the tube, and both centers have a 1.5-Tesla magnet.

## What it is

MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, uses a strong magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of the inside of your body. There is no X-ray radiation. Because organs, muscles and joints hold different amounts of water, the scanner can tell them apart and show the difference between normal and abnormal tissue.

MRA, magnetic resonance angiography, is the same scan aimed at your arteries. Your doctor may order it to look for narrowing or an aneurysm in the arteries of the neck and brain, the aorta in the chest and abdomen, the kidneys or the legs. MRV looks at the veins the same way. Both MRI and MRA pictures can be built into 3D images that help the radiologist find abnormalities.

Your doctor may order the exam with or without contrast. Contrast for MRI is a gadolinium dye given through a vein in your arm. It makes some findings stand out more clearly. Tell us when you book if you have kidney problems or have reacted to contrast before.

**Good to know:** MRI is the slow, detailed scan. When speed matters, or when a pacemaker or other implant rules out the magnet, your doctor may order a CT instead.

## Where to get it

- [West](https://desertimagingcenters.com/locations/west/mri): 122 W. Castellano Dr., El Paso, TX 79912. 3-Tesla wide-bore and 1.5-Tesla. Breast MRI. Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Closed Sunday.
- [East](https://desertimagingcenters.com/locations/lee-trevino/mri): 1727 Lee Trevino Dr., El Paso, TX 79935. 1.5-Tesla. Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Closed Sunday.

## What to expect

You will change out of anything with metal, or wear cotton clothing with no zippers, hooks or buttons. Leave jewelry and valuables at home, and bring a list of your current medications. The technologist goes over a safety checklist with you, because some implants and devices cannot go into the magnet.

You lie on a padded table and the part being scanned moves into the middle of the magnet, which is open at both ends, lit and ventilated. The scanner makes loud knocking sounds, so you get earplugs or headphones with music. You hold an alarm button the whole time and can talk to the technologist through an intercom. Lying still is the main job. Most exams take 45 minutes to an hour per body part. On the 3-Tesla magnet at West, many exams take about half that time.

One of our board-certified radiologists reads the exam here in El Paso. The report goes to the doctor who ordered it and appears in your patient portal.

**How long it takes:** 45 minutes to an hour per body part. Shorter on the 3-Tesla magnet.

## Our equipment

- West: a uMR Omega 3-Tesla magnet with a 75 cm opening, a lit ceiling and a headset for music and for talking with the technologist, plus a 1.5-Tesla magnet.
- East: a 1.5-Tesla magnet.
- The 3-Tesla system uses AI-assisted compressed sensing, so many exams finish in about half the time, with free breathing and shorter breath holds.

## Exams we perform

From our physician order form. Your doctor names the exact study on the order.

### Head and neck

- Brain
- Inner ear (IAC)
- Pituitary
- Orbits
- Face
- Jaw joint (TMJ)
- Sinuses
- Neck soft tissue
- Brachial plexus

### Spine

- Cervical spine
- Thoracic spine
- Lumbar spine
- Sacrum and coccyx
- SI joints

### Body

- Breast
- Chest
- Abdomen
- Pelvis, gynecologic
- MRCP, bile ducts and pancreas
- Prostate

### Joints and limbs

- Shoulder
- Elbow
- Wrist
- Hand
- Upper arm (humerus)
- Forearm
- Hip
- Knee
- Ankle
- Foot
- Thigh (femur)
- Lower leg

### MRA and MRV

- MRA brain
- MRA neck
- MRA chest
- MRA abdomen
- MRA pelvis
- MRV

## How to prepare

From our preparation sheet. Your appointment confirmation carries the instructions for your exact study.

### All MRI exams

- Do not wear any metal on the day of the exam: no jewelry, hair accessories, body piercings or metallic or shimmer makeup.
- Tell us if you are pregnant.
- Tell us if you have any of the following: a cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator, metallic implants, surgical staples, cochlear implants, prosthetic limbs, neurostimulating devices, shrapnel or aneurysm clips.
- When you book, also tell us about claustrophobia, kidney problems, diabetes, skin tattoos, an insulin pump or other implanted drug infusion device, metal fragments in the eye, artificial heart valves, a vascular stent or stent graft, dorsal column stimulators, an allergy to iodine or gadolinium, or past work as a metal worker. Our staff will tell you whether the exam can be done and whether it needs changes.
- Leave valuables at home. Jewelry has to come off before you enter the scan room.
- If you prefer not to change into a gown, wear cotton clothing with no metal zippers, hooks or buttons.
- Bring a list of your current medications.

### MRI of abdomen and pelvis

- Do not eat for 4 to 6 hours before the exam.
- Drink water only.

### MRI of the prostate

- Use a Fleet enema 4 to 5 hours before the exam. It is available over the counter at most pharmacies.
- Do not eat for 4 to 6 hours before the exam.
- Drink water only, starting the day before the exam.

## Common questions

### Where can I get an MRI in El Paso?

At two Desert Imaging centers. West, 122 W. Castellano Dr., has a 3-Tesla wide-bore uMR Omega with a 75 cm opening, plus a 1.5-Tesla magnet. East, 1727 Lee Trevino Dr., has a 1.5-Tesla magnet. Both are open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bring your doctor's order.

### I'm claustrophobic. What are my options?

Ask for the 3-Tesla wide-bore magnet at West when you book. Its 75 cm opening is wider than a standard scanner and the exam is shorter. If you still expect to feel anxious, your doctor may prescribe a mild oral medication to take before the appointment. Tell us when you schedule so we can plan the time.

### Do you have an open MRI in El Paso?

Desert Imaging does not have an open-sided MRI. Desert Imaging West has a 3-Tesla wide-bore uMR Omega with a 75 cm opening and a lit ceiling. A headset plays music and lets you talk to the technologist, you breathe freely with only short breath holds, and many exams take about half the usual time. Tell us you are claustrophobic when you book. Your doctor may also prescribe an oral medication to take for the exam.

### Can I have an MRI with a pacemaker or an implant?

Some can go in the magnet and some cannot. When you book, tell us about any pacemaker, defibrillator, artificial heart valve, aneurysm clip, cochlear implant, stimulator, insulin pump, stent, metal implant or prosthesis, metal fragments in the eye or elsewhere, shrapnel, skin tattoos or history of metalwork. Our staff will tell you whether the exam can be done and whether it needs changes.

### Do I need to fast?

Only for some exams. For an MRI of the abdomen or pelvis, do not eat for 4 to 6 hours before, water only. For a prostate MRI, a Fleet enema 4 to 5 hours before the exam and nothing to eat for 4 to 6 hours. For everything else, eat normally.

### Is the MRI loud?

Yes. The scanner knocks and buzzes while it works. You get earplugs or headphones with music, and you can talk to the technologist through the intercom at any time.

### What is contrast, and will I need it?

Contrast is a gadolinium dye given through a small IV in your arm. It makes some tissues stand out. Whether you need it is your doctor's call and is written on the order. Tell us if you have kidney disease, are pregnant or have reacted to contrast before.

### How much does an MRI cost without insurance?

The price depends on the exact exam your doctor orders. Ask Desert Imaging for the self-pay price of the exam on your order when you book. We accept check, cash, money order, all major credit cards and CareCredit, and zero-interest payment plans are available for patient balances over $200. Billing questions go to In Tandem Solutions Group at (915) 400-0429.


## Ready to book?

Request an appointment online and bring your doctor's order. We take it from there.

- [Request an appointment](https://eforms.abbadox.com/240384671438865)
- Call (915) 577-0100