A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or there is bleeding in the brain. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. It is urgent to seek emergency care at the first sign of a stroke. Early treatment saves many lives and reduces the effects of stroke.
Quick Answer. The purpose of taking an MRI scan of the lumbar spine is to treat or better diagnose problems with the spine, explains WebMD. Patients may need an MRI scan if they show symptoms such as back pain accompanied by fever, birth defects affecting the spine, injury to the lower spine, and persistent or severe lower back pain.
While the MRI scan represents a very sensitive and accurate assessment of spinal anatomy, it cannot distinguish between painful and non-painful structures in the spine. In fact, a patient may have severe back pain and an MRI scan that shows a relatively normal-looking spine, or conversely may have no back pain but the MRI scan reveals a lot of anatomical problems. Thus, the findings on MRI scans do not constitute a diagnosis and the MRI findings must be correlated with the patientâs physical exam and back pain symptoms to arrive at a clinical diagnosis.