Resources
X ray or MRI after an accident?
What each shows, when each is ordered, and who reads it.
X ray and MRI answer different questions, and the provider chooses based on your examination, not on a checklist.
X ray
Shows bone: fractures, alignment, and joint spacing. Fast, low dose, available in the unit and the office, reviewed in minutes. Most injury patients who need imaging start here.
MRI
Shows soft tissue: discs, nerves, ligaments, and muscle. Ordered when the examination points to a disc or nerve injury, or when symptoms do not respond as expected. The treating provider may recommend it, and diagnostic imaging services may be obtained through other available, qualified medical providers.
Who reads them
Your treating provider reviews x rays with you at the visit. MRI is read by a radiologist and reviewed with you and any referring specialist.
Educational information only, not a substitute for medical advice. Individual results vary.
More resources
Chiropractic, pain management, orthopedics, or neurology: how to pick a starting point.
Explore →02Delayed symptoms after a collisionWhy neck and back pain can show up 24 to 72 hours later, and what to do about it.
Explore →03How a mobile injury visit worksWhat the unit carries, who comes, and what happens in the first hour.
Explore →Take the next step