Are MRIs A Scam?

If you've ever had a sports injury or a fall, you likely may have had an MRI. In this day and age, MRIs are seen as relatively common testing, but... should they be so common? A phenomenon that we sometimes see is doctors ordering an MRI under an abundance of caution to put the patient’s mind at ease. This doesn’t necessarily mean the doctors are doing anything wrong, or falsely leading their patients down an unhelpful road. In most cases, they are simply trying to ease anxiety and desperation for answers. However, MRIs are costly and do not always provide the answer the patient is looking for. 

MRIs can be very helpful in certain situations, but they do have limitations. They are only able to provide information on soft tissue: the brain, the organs, and the joints. They can also give false positive results. This means that sometimes a scan will show an “issue” in a patient, but it might not necessarily be the issue that is causing the current problem. In fact, the "issue" might not even be bothering the patient at all. This can ultimately lead to unnecessary surgery, and still leave the patient in pain because the true underlying issue is not being addressed. 

With that in mind, are there any other types of tests that can help diagnose an injury? Absolutely! Based on a simple evaluation, a physician or physical therapist is often able to determine what kind of an injury a patient has and advise if an MRI is necessary or not. In most cases, insurance will not even approve an MRI unless a course of physical therapy has been tried. This typically looks like 6-12 weeks of 2-3 physical therapy sessions per week. If this does not offer relief, or the patient gets worse, then an MRI is often the best next step. However, attempting physical therapy first offers a much more cost effective diagnostic tool. It also offers a way for patient to heal and strengthen the area around injury, reducing changes of further injuries in the future.

While MRIs are not scams, be cautious of a plan that immediately suggests an MRI. It may be likely that you are able to work with your physical therapist and prevent the need and cost of an MRI. As always, talk to your doctor about your concerns and what is best for you!