Understanding Wrist MRI: When You Could You Benefit from a Scan

Did a recent fall leave your wrist sore and swollen? Are you experiencing chronic pain? Do you have trouble bending and extending your wrist? There are many reasons why your doctor may advise you to undergo a wrist MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

This advanced imaging technique provides detailed and accurate visualization of the wrist’s bones, ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues. It is a non-invasive and painless procedure that is widely used for diagnosing various wrist-related conditions. Best of all, it can potentially give your doctor the needed answers to create an effective treatment plan and put you on the road to recovery.

In a series of posts, we will highlight the facts about MRIs for different parts of the body, from ankles to shoulders. For this piece, we turn the focus on wrist MRIs.

Reasons for a Wrist MRI

First of all, let’s examine when an MRI may be part of the solution to finding the underlying cause of any wrist discomfort.

Persistent pain or swelling: On the surface, nothing appears broken but you’re still experiencing prolonged pain, swelling, or stiffness in your wrist. Then, an MRI can help identify the source of the pain, such as inflammation, infection, or injury.
Suspected fractures: Traditional X-rays can’t always detect a fracture or provide sufficient detail. An MRI offers an alternative, providing a clearer picture of the bone structure to reveal any hidden fractures.
Ligament or tendon injuries: Soft tissue injuries are not easily visible on X-rays. An MRI, on the other hand, is made to diagnose ligament tears, tendonitis, and other conditions.
Nerve compression or entrapment: Do you have numbness, tingling, burning, and pain in your hand? An MRI can potentially reveal you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, a compression of the median nerve.
Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can cause a range of symptoms such as a change in your grip change that makes it challenging to open jars or turn doorknobs. Approximately one in seven Americans have arthritis in the wrist. An MRI can help early signs of the condition, revealing cartilage damage and bone spurs that may be contributing to joint pain.
Tumor detection: An MRI can detect benign or malignant growths in the wrist and surrounding tissues, providing crucial information for treatment planning.

How an MRI of the Wrist is Done

A wrist MRI follows the same steps as any scan of its kind:

You will be asked to remove any jewelry, watches, or other metallic objects that may interfere with the magnetic field.
You may also be asked to change into a hospital gown. The MRI technologist will explain the procedure and answer any questions you may have.
During the MRI, you will lie on a comfortable table with your wrist positioned in the center of the MRI machine’s large, cylindrical magnet. The machine produces a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of your wrist. You may hear loud knocking or tapping noises as the machine takes the images; this is normal. Some facilities provide headphones or earplugs to help reduce the noise.
The MRI procedure usually takes 20-30 minutes, and it is essential to remain as still as possible to ensure clear, accurate images. In some cases, a contrast agent may be injected into a vein in your arm to enhance the visibility of certain structures in your wrist. (For more information on the topic of contrasts, read What Is the Contrast Agent in an MRI and Why Might I Need It?)

Interpreting the Results

A radiologist, a physician specialized in interpreting medical images, will carefully review the wrist MRI images. They will look for signs of injury, inflammation, infection, or other abnormalities in the bones, ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues. The radiologist will then prepare a detailed report of their findings and share it with your healthcare provider, who will discuss the results with you and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.

After the MRI

Once your healthcare provider has reviewed the wrist MRI results with you, they will recommend an appropriate treatment plan based on the findings. This may include conservative treatments such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE), pain medications, or physical therapy. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to repair damaged structures, remove tumors, or address other issues identified in the MRI.

Final Word

A wrist MRI is a valuable diagnostic tool that provides detailed images of the wrist’s bones, ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues. It is a non-invasive and painless procedure that can help identify the underlying cause of wrist pain, swelling, and stiffness. By understanding the reasons for a wrist MRI, the process, and the potential findings, patients can feel more confident and prepared when facing this diagnostic procedure.

Do you have questions for us about MRIs or other imaging services that we offer? Please reach out. You can fill out this form or call us directly at, (916) 922-6747. We’d love to help.