MRI
Your doctor may request an MRI after the office visit to aid in the diagnosis and plan treatment. This test gives the best possible imaging for injuries of the cartilage, ligaments, tendons, muscle, labrum of the shoulder, and meniscus of the knee.

MR Arthrogram
Occasionally, your doctor may request an MR arthrogram. This is an MRI done after contrast is injected into the shoulder, knee, or elbow. Situations in which an MR arthrogram might be better than a traditional MRI include shoulder labral tears/shoulder dislocations, cartilage injuries of the knee or elbow, and knee injuries after a previous knee surgery. The patient needs to keep in mind that while the injection can be uncomfortable, it is usually tolerable. What patients often do not expect is the soreness of the shoulder, knee, or elbow for three or four days after the test. This soreness is caused by the joint being swollen from the contrast. It is normal and will resolve.  Patients should place ice on the affected area frequently to decrease the swelling and discomfort.

Location of the MRI
The MRI will be scheduled according to the patient’s wishes as best possible. If it is a traditional MRI, it can most likely be done at MUSC or Rutledge Tower downtown or at the Bone and Joint Center in West Ashley. If it is an MR arthrogram, it will most likely be done at MUSC. The doctors request, although do not completely require, the test to be done at these facilities for several reasons. Most importantly, MUSC has two of the finest musculoskeletal radiologists in the area, Dr. Bill Conway and Dr. Tommy Pope, and they read all of the sports medicine x-rays and MRI’s. Also, it is often very difficult for the doctors to obtain the studies from an outlying radiology facility. If a patient chooses to go to another facility, he or she must obtain both the report and the actual study, on films or a CD, and bring it to the office at the time of the follow up visit.