Uniontown Hospital is among the first hospitals in the country to introduce a new procedure for diagnosing abnormalities of veins and arteries throughout the body, including the head, neck and legs.
What is MRA?
It’s the same as an MRI, except that MRI’s look at the organs and soft tissues of the body and MRA specifically targets the blood vessels.
Who Would Receive an MRA?
If your doctor suspects that you’ve suffered a mini-stroke, you may be a candidate. MRA can also detect aneurysms (widenings) in the arteries of the brain. Our new equipment is also particularly useful for scanning the larger blood vessels in the legs to diagnose vascular occlusive disease.
How is MRA Performed?
You’ll lie on a table that moves into the center of a cylindrical machine that is well-lighted and well-ventilated. The machine will take pictures of the area in question that will show up on a computer that the radiologist and your doctor can then study to make a more accurate diagnosis. Within minutes, the procedure will be over.
Is MRA Safe?
MRA is very safe because it simply uses the natural magnetic properties of hydrogen atoms in your body to create images of your blood vessels, which then show up on a computer. The only people who would not be able to receive an MRA are those with pacemakers or any metal implants in their upper bodies.
Return to LEARN MORE: Diagnostics Services
