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Why would a neurologist order an MRI of the brain?

A brain MRI is incredibly useful for diagnosing many neurological diseases. Almost every significant neurological condition leads to changes within the brain tissue. Since removing a piece of this tissue to study is incredibly risky, an MRI allows for similar information to be gathered without the risk of damaging the brain.

Since MRIs are expensive and take a long time to perform, they are often ordered after other tests fail to help make a diagnosis or if a diagnosis is made but needs to be confirmed. Some of the symptoms that may lead a neurologist to consider an MRI are:

  • Stroke symptoms such as sudden weakness of one part of the body or drooping of the face
  • A new diagnosis of seizures
  • A brain tumor seen on other brain scans such as a CT scan
  • Chronic symptoms of weakness or fatigue that have no other clear cause
  • Sudden changes in memory or behavior in the elderly

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

The site is not a substitute for medical or healthcare advice and does not serve as a recommendation for a particular provider or type of medical or healthcare.