Mre

[upsetmom]

I have a few questions about my daughters mre on the 24th sep

What should we expect?
Is she allowed to go toilet after the drink?
Will she be sick after the drink?
Will she have diarrhea after the test?
Am i allowed to go in with her?
Is the test accurate?

Sorry about all the questions i'm just trying to get as much information as i can

Thanks

 

[Catherine]

Not quite sure whether Sarah had the same test her GI called it MRI.

She fasted from midnight.
She was allow to use the toilet after starting the drink.
She was given to two tablets with the first cup of drink to stop her feeling sick.
There was a time schedule for drinking the drink. I think every 15 minutes, she had to drink a cup of drink (drinking the cup was only allowed to take 2 minute).
No diarrhea but diarrhea is not a part of Sarah's pattern, she naturally more the other way.
I wasn't allow to go in with Sarah, she was 16. It was also done a private testing centre.
They also put in an IV, for contract? buspan?

Why don't you ring the testing place and ask?

 

[Johnnysmom]

My son had an MRE. He didn't mind the drink at all, it wasn't so bad. They added crystal light flavoring so he said it tasted okay. You drink the contrast and the stuff they will inject into the IV is a med that stops the G.I. tract so they can take images. My son was great until they injected this. Then he was shaking and nauseated and upset. They couldn't finish the test but did get what they needed. They thought he might have had an allergic reaction and from the way they behaved I don't think that happens all that often. He had some apple juice and goldfish and they sent us home. He felt fine and went to school the rest of the day. No bathroom problems but he has more constipation so maybe that is why.

I was in the room while they did the IV and the drink but once he had the imaging I waited outside.

I think the test would show severe inflammation to the point of narrowing or blockage. They can't scope through the whole small bowel so they do this to make sure there aren't any big problems in the areas they can't scope. It probably won't show anything (my son's didn't) but it made me feel better that they checked it out just in case.

Good luck, I am sure it will go fine. It was really no big deal.
(((((Hugs))))))

 

[Tesscorm]

My husband took my son for his, so am not sure of all that happened 'there' but he didn't find the taste of drink too terrible. And, once home, he did have diarrhea that day and I think he felt a bit nauseated for a little while afterwards but, for the most part, was fine.

 

[Patricia56]

I suggest you call the place doing the test and ask them your questions.

Unfortunately, there is no uniform way that this test is done. Some places use a barium-like drink, some use water, some use another contrast medium. Some places have you fast, some don't. Some have different procedures depending on the child's age or the reason for the procedure.

And they are the only ones who could say if you will be allowed in to the testing room. I doubt it though. MRI's are very, very loud and normally you would not be in the room during the test.

As for accuracy, the test is now the preferred test for children with CD because it is not invasive like a scope, does not involve any radiation like a CT and can be very accurate in the hands of an experienced and well trained radiologist.

The last qualification is the one that can be a problem. It is best done at a children's hospital or medical center where many pediatric MRE's are done, preferably many MRE's of children with IBD, so you get the study conducted by very experienced technologists and read by very experienced radiologists.

If you will not be going to such a center, you may want to ask the imaging center about the number of pediatric MRE's they do/have done as a rough measure of their qualifications. If you have any concern about that then you should discuss it with your doctor.

 

[Sascot]

Not sure what you can expect as my son has only had a barium meal - he only had to drink one cup of what looked like cement . Just wanted to wish you luck.

 

[DustyKat]

Hi upsetmom,

Here is an article from Inside Radiology (Australian) that explains the protocol of an MRE very well ...

http://www.insideradiology.com.au/pages/view.php?T_id=75

Matt didn't have an MRE but he did have a CTE. Looking at the article above the procedure sounds the same so...

Matt had to fast for 4 hours prior to the procedure. No enemas or other medications were required prior to the examination other than the oral contrast.

The oral contrast was a sugary liquid, the consistency of water, that had to be consumed the hour prior to the exam. He had to drink about 1500mls (he was 17) and it was explained that the liquid was designed to line the small bowel rather than be absorbed by it.

He was able to urinate during the drinking of the oral contrast and he was told to stop if he developed diarrhoea, he didn't. It didn't make him sick.

He was given IV contrast and he had no issues with it. The advice given following the test, due to the IV contrast, is to ensure to drink an adequate amount of water to "flush" the kidneys out.

I don't know about staying in there for an MRI. For CT you can't once they start the imaging because of the radiation. For CT, the test itself is quite quick. A seres of images without the IV contrast followed with a series of images with the IV contrast. So all up no more than 10 minutes tops.
The cannula was put in before he started the prep and there is some set up time when you first go into the imaging room if IV contrast is being used because they have to hook you up to the pump used to inject the dye.

Matt did not have diarrhoea following the test.

Matt had a scope the day before and was sent for this test as the GI didn't want to push through the inflamed area. It identified him with 100mm of thickening in the terminal ileum with a further 50mm of stranding in the adjacent area of proximal bowel. This was later confirmed during surgery. So it was very accurate in his case.

Hope that helps hun...:hug:

Dusty. xxx

 

[Misty-Eyed]

I had one today so it's all fresh in my head! I had to fast 6 hours before. About half an hour before I had to drink a glass of the contrast every 2 minutes until it was all gone. It was 1 litre in total. Found it easy to drink though. It just contained mannitol which is like a sugar which means none of it is absorbed and widens the small intestine out. They flavoured it with orange squash and added anti sickness meds in it too. After colonoscopy prep it was a doddle!

Then I had a cannula put in as they wanted to give me some muscle relaxant during the test. I went into the room and had to lay on my stomach and had board like things resting on my back. They put headphones on so you can hear them and talk back and you hold an emergency pump thing just incase. When they took the images I had to hold my breath and the occasionally came in to put more muscle relaxant in.

Then I could go home. It all came out exactly the same consistency that it went in about 2 hours later, but I have a bag and no colon. They warned it may take about 6-8 hours for other people.

I could also have someone in with me if I wanted, I just had to give advance warning. The machine is also quite noisey when it's taking images but much better in general than having a scope!!

Hope it all goes ok!

 

[upsetmom]

Thanks for all the info.
I had trouble even finding a place close to home that did this test no one had even heard of it before even our local hospital didn't know. Then when i found this new place the receptionist didn't give me much info.
Thanks again

 

[Misty-Eyed]

Really? Mine was just done at the MRI centre at the hospital I go to.

 

[upsetmom]

I was quite shocked myself because it is fairly big hospital and they do MRI.
The childrens hospital where my daughter attends had a waiting list of 6 months

 

[Catherine]

Our test was booked by the gi himself. he didn't care about travelling time. Just who was in charge of testing centre and when it could be done. Is your daughter under 16 our gi first choice was the childrens but as sarah was already 16 this was not a option.

 

[dannysmom]

Pat is right on .. it varies from place to place and even within a hospital based upon age. Please call and ask your questions. My son's hospital didnot require children to fast - only adults ... and that is an awful mistake! They also use the barium contrast ... so it is the thick and icky drink. We were allowed to stay with my then 14 yr old son. Good luck!

 

[upsetmom]

My daughter had her MRE done today she had no problems at all. :emot-waycool:

 

[Sascot]

That's great!! :thumleft:

 

[Farmwife]

:thumright:I'm glad all went very well.:thumleft:

:soledance:

 

[kimmidwife]

So glad it went well!

 

[my little penguin]

So good to hear!!!!

 

[upsetmom]

I got the results today and i'm a bit confused.

There is moderate colonic faecal loading present.
The known crohn's disease of the colon cannot be well appreciated.
There is no small bowel dilation. No pericolic flexion.
Liver ..etc.. unremarkable.

Final comment: Crohns disease cannot be well appreciated. This would not exclude crohns disease however should exclude any major complications such as significant stenosis or obstruction.

Does colonic faecal loading mean shes constipated?

 

[Sascot]

Mmm, I would think colonic loading would mean constipation, but not really something I have dealt with so not sure. I'm sure someone will pop on with their infinite wisdom and answer that

 

[kimmidwife]

Crohn's disease cannot be well appreciated just means they were not able to see it clearly. It can be a good sign that things are calming down. Colonic loading sounds like constipation like sascot said. Pericoloic flexion would be a bending of the colon abnormally so that is not present and they don't see any obstructions which is good.

 

[upsetmom]

Thanks Kim
I had a look on the internet and all that kept coming up was constipation. At the moment shes alternating between normal and diarrhea and also a lot of pain especially after eating
so hopefully we get some answers tomorrow

 

[DustyKat]

Colonic loading on imaging usually points to constipation, whatever the cause.

Dusty. xxx