MRI for dementia patient?

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Wilmore6 Asked May 2023

MRI for dementia patient?

My mom has moderate dementia. She had an MRI of her brain done about 4 years ago. She is living with me now, in another state, and her doctor here has asked for a new MRI. Any medical procedure causes her great anxiety and I wonder whether what we could learn is worth her distress. She has enough trouble day to day without adding to it unnecessarily. Any thoughts? Thank you.

Alzheimer's & Dementia Diagnostic Criteria Medical Care Stress

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score 2 · Answer 1

I would not put her through this testing.
Is there a VALID reason the doctor is asking that this be done?
To do an MRI she would probably have to be sedated and that can cause problems for days, weeks after if not forever. And the immediate problem for you and her is that she would be more of a fall risk.

If the doctor is trying to rule out a new condition what would your course of treatment be? If you would pursue no treatment...why test for something you will not have treated.

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score 1 · Answer 2

Are you the medical POA?

Have you spoken with the doctor? Can you tell us what reason the MRI is requested, what he/she is looking for, and what he or she plans to do for treatment if something is found?

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score 1 · Answer 3

If you are expecting on results of a tumor or to just determine brain shrinkage, does not change the trajectory of decline. Is this a need to know or just a good to know situation?

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score 2 · Answer 4

Thank you so much for all your responses. They make total sense, and I'm going to go ahead and cancel that MRI appointment.

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score 4 · Answer 5

Unless she’s in imminent danger of dying tomorrow from something wrong with her brain, NO.

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score 6 · Answer 6

I guess I dont see what the gain from an MRI would be at this point.

Medical procedures cause anxiety for many, myself included (I am putting of an ordered upper end endoscopy for fear they will find something and that is stupid on my part) but in this case what is tehre to be gained to balance the anxiety it will cause her?

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score 5 · Answer 7

Absolutely not.

An MRI is a horrible, deafening test that sounds like a relentless sledgehammer going off next to your skull. I have to have a Valium prescribed to get through an MRI or I have a panic attack, and it's the ONLY thing that has ever given me one.

What is this doctor thinking??

What is his reasoning for this? An MRI isn't going to diagnose anything you don't already know.

Helpful Answer (5)

Exactly and then what do you do with that information that might be any different from the present. I find that an odd and almost inappropriate suggestion on the part of the doctor and I would ask this doctor to explain the reasoning behind this not to mention the anxiety factor which I also experience with MRI's. Perhaps get the answer but still say no.

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MRI for dementia patient?

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