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Is Smoking Marijuana Advisable Before A Brain MRI Scan?

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Posted on Thu, 12 Nov 2015
Question: Going in to check my 5mm wide neck, multi lobular brain aneurysm between A1 & A2.. MRI scan in three hours. Ok to smoke a little weed? I can't see how it would have an effect on the size on the aneurysm..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (37 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Marijuana can affect intracranial pressure.

Detailed Answer:
I don't have a problem with patients smoking marijuana normally, and it can help various medical problems such as seizure disorders. But regarding whether it would be a good idea to smoke marijuana before your MRI, that is unclear. Marijuana can affect intracranial pressure and blood vessel dilation (size). Whether that would be a good thing to see during your MRI depends on:

1. If you smoke frequently, then smoking before the MRI would show the typical appearance of the state of the aneurysm and blood vessels of the brain with frequent marijuana use.

2. If you smoke occasionally, it would probably be best to NOT smoke in the hours/day before the MRI as this way the MRI would show what the everyday state is.

I hope this information helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (4 hours later)
Great answer and in line with my thoughts. Thank you for your feedback. If stress is a big cause for rupture than surfing and marijuana should help delay a rupture..
So I moved to Australia. You just got to let the coolness flow through your vertebrae..!
Thanks again. XXXXXXX xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxx
doctor
Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Your welcome and best wishes.

Detailed Answer:
Your welcome and good luck to you.

I just want to add a note that I am a Family Practice physician, not a neurologist, but I took you question off the list of questions to answer because I saw that you were looking for an answer soon (3 hours before MRI), and I thought I might help problem solve. But if you want more info on your aneurysm, you can write in specifying "FOR NEUROLOGIST ONLY" and you will get a more expert opinion than I can provide on it.

Best regards,
Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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Is Smoking Marijuana Advisable Before A Brain MRI Scan?

Brief Answer: Marijuana can affect intracranial pressure. Detailed Answer: I don't have a problem with patients smoking marijuana normally, and it can help various medical problems such as seizure disorders. But regarding whether it would be a good idea to smoke marijuana before your MRI, that is unclear. Marijuana can affect intracranial pressure and blood vessel dilation (size). Whether that would be a good thing to see during your MRI depends on: 1. If you smoke frequently, then smoking before the MRI would show the typical appearance of the state of the aneurysm and blood vessels of the brain with frequent marijuana use. 2. If you smoke occasionally, it would probably be best to NOT smoke in the hours/day before the MRI as this way the MRI would show what the everyday state is. I hope this information helps.