Joint MRI

An MRI of a joint shows what an X-ray cannot: cartilage, menisci, ligaments, tendons, joint fluid and swelling inside the bone. It uses a magnetic field, not radiation, so you can repeat it to track treatment. At Oberig Clinic joint MRI is done in the Diagnostic Department on a Siemens Magnetom Sempra 1.5 Tesla scanner with a dedicated orthopaedic software package. Radiologists with musculoskeletal experience write the report.

What a joint MRI shows

An X-ray sees the bone and the width of the joint space. MRI sees everything around it: torn menisci and ligaments, cracked or thinning cartilage, an inflamed joint lining, fluid in the joint and the bursae, cysts, bone bruising after a blow. In early avascular necrosis or a stress fracture the X-ray still looks clean. MRI already shows the change.

Doctors order it when a joint swells after an injury, locks or gives way, when pain lasts more than 2-3 weeks with no clear cause, before arthroscopy and after surgery to see how a graft has taken. Arthritis is another reason. MRI tells inflammation apart from cartilage wear and helps the rheumatologist choose treatment.

Which joints we scan and what the radiologist looks for

Knee: the most common request

Your knee carries your body weight. It takes the hit in sports, in a fall on the stairs, with extra pounds. On MRI the radiologist checks the medial and lateral menisci (tear, wear, cyst), the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, the side ligaments, the cartilage of the kneecap and thigh bone, the quadriceps tendon and a Baker's cyst behind the knee. The result shapes the plan. A meniscus tear that locks the knee goes to arthroscopy. A partial ligament tear often heals without surgery.

Planning to get back to sport? The scan gives your surgeon or physio a baseline. A repeat MRI a few months later shows how the graft or the meniscus has healed. Bring your old images to every visit. The radiologist compares them side by side.

Both knees hurt? We scan them one after the other. Each knee goes into its own coil to get thin slices. You pay per joint, and the time in the scanner doubles.

Hips

Groin pain that spreads to the knee, a limp, a stiff hip that will not rotate. These are the usual reasons. MRI shows avascular necrosis of the femoral head while the X-ray is still normal. It also finds labral tears, early hip arthritis, trochanteric bursitis and stress fractures of the femoral neck in runners and people with osteoporosis.

Unlike knees, both hips fit into one field of view. One scan covers both, and the doctor compares left and right. If sacroiliitis is suspected (inflammation where the spine meets the pelvis), the sacroiliac joints can be added.

Shoulders

The shoulder moves more than any other joint. Muscles and tendons hold it stable. MRI most often looks for a rotator cuff tear, tendinitis and calcific deposits, impingement (a tendon pinched under the acromion), a labral tear after a dislocation, bursitis. The complaints are simple. It hurts to sleep on that side. You cannot lift your arm above shoulder height. It clicks when you move. MRI shows whether a tear is full or partial and how far the muscle has pulled back. That decides if you need surgery. In older people a cuff tear often happens without a clear injury, simply from wear. MRI separates an old, worn tendon from a fresh tear that still can be repaired.

Elbow, wrist and ankle

Elbow MRI helps with tennis or golfer's elbow (epicondylitis), ligament injuries and a trapped ulnar nerve, when your little and ring fingers go numb. Wrist MRI finds a hidden scaphoid fracture after a fall on the hand, a tear of the triangular cartilage, ganglion cysts and tendon sheath inflammation. Ankle and foot MRI is for repeated sprains, an Achilles tear or heel pain. After a sprain the X-ray is often normal. MRI finds torn outer ligaments or damage to the talus cartilage. Left untreated, they lead to a chronically unstable ankle.

Jaw joints (TMJ)

A click near the ear as you chew, a sore jaw in the morning, a mouth that will not open fully, a jaw that shifts to one side. The cause is often the joint disc slipping forward. Only MRI can show that disc. Dentists and orthodontists send patients for it before treating the bite. The scan is done with the mouth closed and open to see how the disc moves. Bring any dental X-rays or CT scans you have. Note: no head MRI with braces on.

MRI or another test?

An X-ray comes first after an injury. A fracture, a dislocation or arthritis shows up right away and costs little. Joint ultrasound is good for surface tendons, fluid and a Baker's cyst, and it is easy to repeat. CT is the choice when the bone matters most: complex fractures, planning a joint replacement. MRI is for soft tissue and cartilage, or when other tests found nothing and the pain stays. The referral usually comes from an orthopaedic surgeon, and the same doctor explains the report. Not sure which test you need? Start with the specialist, not the scanner.

How to read your MRI report

Reports use radiology language. Some terms scare patients for no reason. "Grade 1-2 degenerative change of the meniscus" means altered structure inside the meniscus with no tear. It is part of ageing. Most people over 40 have it and feel nothing. A real tear is grade 3: the signal line reaches the surface. "Chondromalacia" means softened cartilage, graded from 1 (swelling) to 4 (worn down to bone). "Effusion" means fluid in the joint. A small amount is normal.

"Bone marrow oedema" points to a fresh bruise, overload or early necrosis. Your doctor always matches it to your symptoms. Do not treat the report. The grade on MRI and the pain you feel often do not match. The decision on surgery or conservative care comes after an examination, not from one line of text. If you had scans elsewhere before, bring them. A comparison over time often tells more than a single scan.

How to prepare for a joint MRI

No special diet. Eat and drink as usual. Safety in the magnetic field is what counts:

• when you book, tell us about a pacemaker (it rules MRI out), metal clips on vessels, joint replacements, plates and screws, hearing implants, and bring the device card,
• with braces, no head or jaw MRI, for other areas your dentist removes the wire first,
• bring a referral with the clinical question, plus any earlier MRI, CT or X-ray images and reports,
• before the scan, take off your watch, jewellery and removable dentures, empty your pockets of keys and phone, and leave it all in a locker,
• children under 6 may need sedation, so book a visit with a paediatric anaesthetist in advance.

What happens during the scan

You lie on the table. A coil goes over the joint to pick up the signal. For a knee or ankle only your lower body enters the tunnel. Your head stays outside. Keep still, or the image blurs. The scanner is loud, but the Magnetom Sempra has a Quiet Suite mode that cuts noise by up to 97%, and you get headphones. One joint takes 20-30 minutes. It does not hurt. You can breathe normally, no breath-holding needed. Afterwards you can drive and get on with your day.

Afraid of tight spaces? Tell the radiographer before the scan. For legs your head is usually outside the tunnel. For a shoulder or jaw scan the radiographer will find a position that feels calmer for you. You can talk to the team through an intercom the whole time and you hold a call button. If pain makes it hard to lie still, take your usual painkiller an hour before.

Common questions

Do I need contrast?

For injuries and arthritis from wear, usually not. Contrast is added when a tumour, infection or active arthritis is suspected. The radiologist decides.

Can I have an MRI with a joint replacement?

Most modern implants are safe at 1.5 Tesla. The metal does blur the image right around the implant. Show the device card, and the doctor will tell you if the scan will be useful.

When will I get the results?

You get the report and a disc with the images within 24 hours, except weekends and public holidays.

Can children have a joint MRI?

Yes, with a doctor's referral. Teenagers often need a knee MRI after a sports injury. Children under 6 may need light sedation to lie still.

Can I have an MRI when pregnant?

Only after a gynaecologist's review and with a clear medical reason, and without contrast.

Is 3 Tesla better for joints?

For joints the clinic uses 1.5 Tesla with an orthopaedic software package. That is enough to see a torn meniscus, ligament or cartilage.

Knee MRI price and other joints

A knee MRI at Oberig Clinic costs UAH 4,795 per joint. A hip MRI costs UAH 4,790 and covers both hips. The price is the same if it is your first scan or a follow-up. If the radiologist adds contrast, it is a separate line. The rest is listed below.

Scan (MRI 1.5 Tesla)	Price
Knee	UAH 4,795
Hips (both)	UAH 4,790
Shoulder	UAH 4,790
Elbow	UAH 4,790
Wrist and hand	UAH 4,790
Ankle	UAH 4,795
Foot	UAH 4,790
Jaw joints (TMJ)	UAH 5,160
Sacroiliac joint	UAH 4,260
Contrast (if needed)	UAH 2,745

Prices are taken from the clinic price list as of 01.10.2026 and may change. Please check the current cost with our call centre.

Why choose Oberig Clinic for a joint MRI

• A Siemens scanner with orthopaedic software. Magnetom Sempra 1.5 Tesla with Ortho Suite for thin slices of cartilage and ligaments, Quiet Suite for less noise and AI-assisted positioning. The clinic is a Siemens reference centre, and the software updates online.
• A second read of every scan. Reports follow the American College of Radiology protocol. The department is led by radiologist Taras Matsiievskyi, with Iryna Mykytenko and Oleksandr Lysenko, both of the highest qualification category.
• Results in 24 hours. You get the report and disc the next working day. In complex cases the radiologist talks the images through with your doctor.
• From scan to treatment. Orthopaedic surgeons, arthroscopy, joint replacement, rheumatology and rehab all work in one clinic.

Address: 3 Zoolohichna St, buildings "G" and "V", Kyiv. Book a joint MRI online at https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or call +38 044 521 30 03.