Brain MRI
A brain MRI scans your brain slice by slice inside a magnetic field. No X-rays. The scanner collects hundreds of 1-3 mm slices in three planes, and the radiologist sees grey and white matter, the ventricles, blood vessels, the pituitary gland, the brainstem and the cerebellum in a way no other test can match. At Oberig Clinic you can have a brain MRI on two Siemens scanners: Magnetom Vida 3 Tesla and Magnetom Sempra 1.5 Tesla. The radiologist picks the scanner for your clinical question. You get the report within 24 hours.
What a brain MRI shows
The answer depends on the protocol, but a standard scan covers most of what a neurologist needs. The radiologist checks the brain tissue for lesions: ischaemic, inflammatory, demyelinating (as in multiple sclerosis). They describe the ventricles and the fluid spaces, because enlargement points to hydrocephalus or atrophy. They look at the pituitary gland and the sella, the brainstem, the cerebellum and the cerebellopontine angles, where acoustic neuromas hide. Tumours, cysts, aneurysms, old injuries and bleeds all show up on the series of slices.
MRI picks up a stroke within the first hours thanks to diffusion-weighted sequences. On CT the ischaemic zone appears later. Migraine, epilepsy and memory loss have no direct "picture", but MRI rules out a structural cause behind them: a tumour, a vascular lesion, a malformation. That is why a neurologist orders the scan before treating the symptom.
When you need a brain MRI
A headache that has changed its pattern, started after 50 or no longer responds to your usual painkillers is the most common reason for a referral. Next come dizziness and ringing in the ears, blackouts, seizures, loss of vision or hearing on one side. Numbness of half the face or a limb, slurred speech, a drooping face or sudden weakness in an arm are red flags. Memory and attention problems, personality change or an unsteady gait in older people also call for a scan, to tell vascular damage from degeneration.
Planned scans: follow-up after a stroke, surgery or radiotherapy, monitoring a known tumour or pituitary adenoma, adjusting treatment in multiple sclerosis, planning neurosurgery. Children are scanned for developmental delay, seizures and head injuries. At Oberig Clinic a child needs a doctor's referral, and under the age of 6 the scan may be done under sedation. If symptoms came on suddenly and are getting worse, do not wait for a routine slot: the clinic's emergency line 3003 works around the clock.
Types of scan: head and neck, with contrast, with angiography
A basic brain MRI without contrast runs on 1.5 or 3 Tesla. The difference is magnet strength: 3 Tesla gives twice the detail in less time. We use it to hunt for small lesions, pituitary adenomas, epileptogenic zones and inner ear disease. Contrast is added when the doctor suspects a tumour, metastases, meningitis or active multiple sclerosis. The gadolinium agent builds up in abnormal tissue and makes it stand out. A nurse injects it into a vein, and the scan takes 10-15 minutes longer.
MR angiography (MRA) maps the arteries and veins of the brain without any contrast. The scanner reads the signal from moving blood. This is how we find aneurysms, narrowings, malformations and sinus thrombosis. The extended protocol with contrast also covers the extracranial arteries, the carotid and vertebral arteries in the neck. That is the head and neck MRI patients with poor cerebral circulation, head noise or dizziness usually need. Special protocols exist too: the epilepsy protocol, spectroscopy and perfusion for tumours, pituitary and orbit scans. A neurologist or neurosurgeon orders them.
How to prepare for a brain MRI
No diet. Eat, drink and take your medicines as usual. Fasting only matters for abdominal scans. Preparation is about safety in the magnetic field. Before your visit:
- check for metal in your body: vascular clips, stents, joint replacements, plates, a cochlear implant, braces. Bring the implant card, the radiologist will check it is MRI safe,
- if you have a pacemaker, the scan cannot be done. Tell us when you book,
- for a contrast scan, if you are over 65, diabetic or have kidney disease, have a blood creatinine test 1-3 days before. We use it to calculate your kidney filtration rate,
- bring your referral and the discs from previous MRI or CT scans. Comparing with them is often worth more than one new image,
- arrive 15 minutes early to fill in the safety questionnaire and remove metal items.
What not to do before a head MRI: do not wear make-up or hairspray (some contain metal particles and cause artefacts), do not wear clothes with metal buttons, do not take your phone, watch or bank cards into the room. With braces on, we do not scan the head until your dentist removes the metal wire. Pregnant women are scanned only after agreement with their gynaecologist, and not in the first trimester.
What happens during the scan
Here is how a head MRI goes, step by step. You change, lie on your back on the scanner table, and your head rests in a coil with soft pads. The technologist gives you headphones or earplugs: the machine knocks and hums during scanning, and on the Magnetom Sempra the Quiet Suite technology cuts the noise by up to 97%. The table slides into the tunnel. From then on you have one job: stay still. Any movement blurs the images. The radiologist sees and hears you the whole time. You hold a call button in your hand.
How long does it take? A basic scan takes 20-30 minutes, a scan with contrast or angiography 40-50 minutes. It does not hurt. You can drive and go back to work straight away. The Magnetom Vida has a wider tunnel than standard, takes patients up to 200 kg, and runs part of the sequences without breath-holding. That helps children and anxious patients. If you are claustrophobic, we can do the scan under sedation with an anaesthetist. Tell us when you book.
Normal results and reading the report
The radiologist describes the images by protocol: size and symmetry of the ventricles, the brain tissue, the vessels, the pituitary gland, the orbits, the sinuses. A normal adult report reads like "no focal or diffuse changes, midline structures not displaced, ventricular system of normal size". After 50-60 the report often mentions a few small vascular spots. That is age-related, not a stroke, and the radiologist says so in the conclusion.
| What the radiologist measures | Adult reference range |
|---|---|
| Width of the third ventricle | up to 7 mm |
| Lateral ventricles (Evans index) | up to 0.3 |
| Pituitary height | up to 8-9 mm, in young women up to 10-12 mm |
| Midline structures | not displaced |
| White matter lesions | none, or a few small ones after 50 |
| Vessels on MRA | normal calibre, no aneurysms or stenoses |
Reading a brain MRI takes the radiologist from 30 minutes to several hours. At Oberig Clinic every report gets a second, independent review before it goes out. You receive the written report and the images on a disc or via a link. The diagnosis comes from the doctor who referred you, not from the radiologist: the same lesion means different things at 30 and at 70. The next step after the scan is a neurologist consultation with the results in hand.
MRI or CT of the head: which is better
The two methods do not compete. They complement each other. CT uses X-rays, takes 1-2 minutes and is best at showing skull bones, fresh blood and fractures. After an injury or with a suspected bleed the first test is a brain CT. MRI has no radiation and takes longer. In return it shows the brain tissue itself in far more detail: early ischaemic stroke, tumours, multiple sclerosis, the pituitary gland, the brainstem and the cerebellum. On CT those hide behind the bones of the skull base.
Ask a radiologist what is better and they ask back: what are we looking for? An acute condition, trauma, or a pacemaker in the patient means CT. A planned check for headache, dizziness, seizures, a suspected tumour or demyelination means MRI. If in doubt, ask your neurologist or call the contact centre and the operator will put you through to a radiologist.
Frequently asked questions
How often can I have a brain MRI?
As often as your doctor needs to monitor you. The magnetic field does not build up in the body and carries no radiation dose. In multiple sclerosis or after surgery the scan is repeated every 6-12 months. A pituitary adenoma is followed on the endocrinologist's schedule.
Do I need a referral?
Adults do not. You can book yourself. A referral still helps: the radiologist picks the exact protocol, and your neurologist will not have to order a repeat scan. Children are scanned only with a referral.
Is the contrast harmful?
Gadolinium contrast leaves the body through the kidneys within a day. Reactions to it are rarer than to the iodine contrast used in CT. The nurse asks about allergies before the injection, and patients at risk have their kidney function checked first.
What if I am claustrophobic?
Say so when you book. The clinic has the wide-bore Magnetom Vida, headphones with music, the option of a relative in the room, and sedation with an anaesthetist for those who need more.
What if the scan finds something?
Do not search for a diagnosis online. Book a neurologist or neurosurgeon and bring the report and the disc. Most findings, such as age-related vascular spots, small cysts and anatomical variants, only need monitoring.
Brain MRI price at Oberig Clinic
The cost of a head MRI depends on the scanner (1.5 or 3 Tesla), the protocol, and the need for contrast or angiography. A basic scan starts at UAH 3,480. The price is the same on any day of the week. A brain MRI with vascular angiography starts at UAH 5,915 and covers the full set of arteries and veins.
| Scan | Price |
|---|---|
| Brain MRI, 1.5 Tesla | UAH 3,480 |
| Brain MRI, 3 Tesla | UAH 4,965 |
| Contrast enhancement for MRI (1.5 or 3 Tesla) | UAH 2,745 |
| Brain MRI with MRA of intracranial arteries, 1.5 Tesla | UAH 5,915 |
| Brain MRI with MRA of intracranial arteries and veins, 1.5 Tesla | UAH 5,975 |
| Brain MRI with MRA of intracranial arteries and veins, 3 Tesla | UAH 6,890 |
| Brain MRI with MRA of intra- and extracranial arteries with contrast, 3 Tesla | UAH 9,425 |
| Brain MRI, epilepsy protocol, 1.5 / 3 Tesla | UAH 6,475 / 7,685 |
| Brain MRI with spectroscopy, 3 Tesla | UAH 6,890 |
| Pituitary MRI, 3 Tesla | UAH 6,345 |
A brain MRI with contrast adds up from the basic scan and the contrast enhancement: UAH 3,480 + 2,745 on 1.5 Tesla. Prices are taken from the clinic price list as of 01.10.2026. They may change. Please confirm the current price with the contact centre before your visit.
Why choose Oberig Clinic for a brain MRI
- Two Siemens scanners to choose from. Magnetom Vida 3 Tesla for maximum detail, and Magnetom Sempra 1.5 Tesla with the quiet mode Quiet Suite and the Neuro Suite package for neuroimaging. The software is updated online by Siemens Healthineers.
- Radiologists who specialise. Your scan is read by the radiologists of the Diagnostic Department: head of department Taras Matsiievskyi, Iryna Mykytenko and Oleksandr Lysenko, both top-category doctors. The clinic is a Siemens reference centre that trains radiologists from other hospitals.
- Full protocol and double reading. Every scan follows the American College of Radiology protocol. A second doctor reviews each report independently, and you get it within 24 hours, except at weekends and on public holidays.
- A full-cycle clinic. Neurologists, neurosurgeons and endocrinologists see patients in the same building. There is an inpatient ward and the 3003 emergency service. The path from scan to treatment is a single route.
Where to get a brain MRI: Kyiv, 3 Zoologichna St., buildings "G" and "V". Book online at https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or call +38 044 521 30 03. When you book, name the area to be scanned and tell us if you have any metal in your body or need contrast.
Brain MRI?
