The Proton Center in Prague offers selected diagnostic tests, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT). We perform examinations not only for cancer patients of the Proton Center, but also for all other patients for whom the attending physician issues a request form.
· You can schedule an appointment for a magnetic resonance imaging scan by sending an e-mail to: zadanky@ptc.cz.
First, you need to get a request form that is issued by your treating physician. The request form must be signed and stamped by the healthcare facility. In your e-mail message, please provide your contact information (preferably a phone number). If you send the request form in advance, it will make the scheduling process easier and faster.
· If you cannot e-mail the request, please contact the reception of the Department of Radiology Diagnostics at +420 222 999 070, and they will advise you on how to proceed.
Bring your original completed magnetic resonance imaging request form with the healthcare facility stamp and doctor’s signature to your appointment.
· Patient information Magnetic resonance imaging (downloadable PDF)
Based on clinical findings, your doctor has recommended magnetic resonance imaging. We have prepared basic information about MRI scanning to save you any worry about the MRI examination. You will learn what kind of examination it is, what will happen during the examination, how long the examination takes and whether there are any restrictions.
· Patient’s informed consent for MRI scanning (downloadable)
You can read the informed consent for magnetic resonance imaging in the comfort of your own home. You will fill it out and sign it when you arrive to the Proton Center.
You MUST NOT have an MRI if you have:
If you have any electronic or metallic implants or foreign objects in your body, it does not automatically mean that you cannot undergo MRI scanning. However, you must ALWAYS notify the reception staff BEFORE making an MRI appointment, and subsequently also the MRI operator who will make a qualified decision about whether or not you can undergo the procedure.
Breastfeeding women are advised to express the breast milk and store it in sufficient quantity to feed the baby for the next 24 hours. After an MRI with a contrast agent, stop breastfeeding for 24 hours and do not use expressed milk until the agent is completely excreted by the kidneys.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the breasts is being increasingly used for better imaging of breast lesions. MRI screenings should be performed primarily on women with an increased risk of breast cancer. This includes women whose mother or grandmother have had breast cancer, who have a genetic predisposition, had chest or mediastinum radiation treatment 30 or more years ago, or are being monitored for a non-cancerous breast tumour.
Breast magnetic resonance imaging allows for better detection of tumour size before surgery or radiation treatment. The screening is also used for women who have breast implants and for whom ultrasound scans have not provided sufficient information, as well as women who have had a cosmetic procedure (e.g. breast lift).
For cancer cases, MRIs can provide information about the response to radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or it can be used for further monitoring and check-ups once the disease is in remission. Screenings can also be carried out for patients with enlarged armpit (axillary) lymph nodes where the primary source is unknown, or for patients whose previous mammography results indicate a possible tumour. The dynamic sequences acquired during magnetic resonance imaging help differentiate malignant and non-malignant lesions based on the saturation type of these lesions, which means that MRI scans are highly useful for breast cancer diagnosis, and yield significant results.
