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Open MR Interventional Procedures

MRI Guided Interventional Procedures are surgery-based procedures employed by Dr. Aaron G. Filler, MD PhD, at the Institute for Nerve Medicine. The procedures are done in a Phillips 0.23 Tesla imager with optical guidance that allows stereotactic guidance of the needle into soft tissue.

Deep tissue injections near the spine and nerves give physicians valuable diagnostic and therapeutic benefit in treating complex pain disorders of the nerves and spine. However, MRI Guided Interventional procedures provide higher accuracy, less discomfort and less exposure to cancer-causing radiation and ultimately provide for a quicker recovery time.

Safety & Comfort for the Patient
MRI Guided Procedures are more beneficial to the patient than X-ray or CT-guided procedures because X-ray uses 2-dimensional images and the procedure is more uncomfortable for the patient. Moreover, this method makes it more difficult for the physician to find his or her target. Also, in some X-ray /Fluoroscopic Guided procedures, the patient receives a dose of X-rays almost 500 times the amount of a chest X-ray. MRI Guided Procedures provides zero radiation and a high accuracy with minimal discomfort to the patient.

MRI Guided Procedures are completed in a surgery center equipped with emergency equipment mainly because of the large volume of medications used in these procedures and the risk of respiratory and cardiac compromise from an intravascular injection. The risk is low due to the high level of guidance of the MRI, but the procedures are performed in the surgical center in the event of an emergency. All procedures are performed under Ambulatory Surgical Center guidelines and accreditation.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Benefit
The diagnostic information obtained from the MRI Guided procedures is crucial to treating complex pain disorders involving the nerves and the spine. The physician is assured that the target is reached by the accuracy of the MRI Guidance, and therefore can conclude based on the patient’s response if the targeted area is involved in the diagnosis.

Post-injection T2-weighted MR images are obtained to assess the final distribution of the injectate in the muscle. This can also give the provider more diagnostic information regarding the patient’s condition.

Due to the high accuracy of the procedures, many patients get lasting benefit and are able to avoid surgical intervention to treat their pain syndrome. The accuracy and outcomes are the proof.

The accuracy of soft tissue guidance utilized by the Interventional MR is akin to a staged surgery where there is an actual real chance of resolving the pain condition without the requirement of additional surgery. However, if surgery is subsequently required the IMR allows for a minimally invasive surgical technique and provides detailed imaging results for navigating the surgical plan and providing the patient with a greater chance of pain resolution.

Dr. Aaron Filler pioneered the use of Open MRI Guidance to help reduce the pain and radiation exposure eliminate harmful X-ray radiation in these procedures. This means more accuracy, less discomfort, no cancer-causing radiation, and faster recovery for most patients.