Is It Standard Procedure to Have MRI for Tinnitus? Can They Do It If You Have Metal in Your Face?

[Dubbyaman]

Is it standard procedure to have an MRI included in the many initial tests they give you for tinnitus?

Also, does anyone know if they can even do an MRI if you have metal in your face?

 

[sjtinguy]

Metal like a piercing or like an implant or similar? I doubt if you have any steel anywhere in your body that you can do an MRI but I'm not an expert.

That being said, I would avoid having an MRI unless there was something specific they are looking for.. the MRI machines are very loud.. like 120db+ and can cause hearing damage by themselves!

 

[PaulBe]

A part of MRI prep is research. They will not put you in a scanner unless any metal/prosthetic you have has been identified and researched for compatibility. Its a not-negotiable.

 

[Bobby B]

the metal will rip your face off like a bullet once they switch the MRI on

they have hand held metal detectors that are used for checking first

 

[Julien87]

If you already know the cause of your T (which seems to be the case) I really don't think it is necessary.
And here in my country it's not part of the standard procedure no, at least it was never suggested to me by my GP or ENT.

 

[Tinker Bell]

I have never had a hand held metal detector used to check prior to an MRI. Instead I have been asked questions.

What type of metal is your concern? Pieceings? You can remove them if you're concerned. Teeth fillings or crowns? Not a problem. A pacemaker implant? No MRI, CT scan only.

Not all metal is a problem. MRIs are okay while wearing metal underwire, pants with a zipper, snap or button, and wearing wedding rings is fine too.

MRIs are loud, but they're not 120dB the entire time. Actually, I am not sure that I have ever had an MRI reach that loud — and I have had a lot of MRIs.

MRI is not standard for all cases of tinnitus. It's more commonly recommended for unilateral tinnitus or unilateral hearing loss. I think it's also recommended in cases where a patient has dizziness or if there are any other health concerns, like suspicions of MS.

 

[Dubbyaman]

@Tinker Bell @sjtinguy i think i have metal screws in my face due to jaw surgery and i have a titanium rod fused along my whole spinal cord.

The reason I ask is because I have unilateral tinnitus in my left ear which is also the ear with mild HL. The tinnitus is cyclical. It confuses me because I hear people who get MRIs to rule out possible causes (even people with HL) Then you get people like @Julien87 and myself who are told that its not a standard test for T.

 

[PaulBe]

@Tinker Bell @sjtinguy i think i have metal screws in my face due to jaw surgery and i have a titanium rod fused along my whole spinal cord.

Then it should be easily researched by them before they commit to doing anything. You just tell them, and they are then obliged to research it as part of their preparation of you. There will be records from where the surgery was done which should include all that was done, what products were used, and who the suppliers were. Chances are that they won't be an impediment to having the scan anyway, if you really think you need it. MRI compatibility is a big thing these days, and no-one wants to get it wrong.