Is it time to have MRI machines available at the stadiums?

[kaiserchief13]

They were discussing this on EMT last night and saying that they already exist in the NFL and soccer leagues around the world. I would think it's a must as you would know for certain if a player just copped a knock or if they actually have a serious injury. Thoughts?

 

[Starburns_]

Probably too expensive at the moment, would cost at least $12million and the time it takes to get a result would mean the cost probably isn't justified.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Probably too expensive at the moment, would cost at least $12million and the time it takes to get a result would mean the cost probably isn't justified.

The guy on the show said a couple of hundred thousand. Even if it was a couple of million how much is the latest TV rights deal worth?!

 

[DTRAIN87]

They take up a large space as well.

 

[Underarm]

Surely it takes longer than 10 minutes to get the results? You really wouldn't want more than 10 minutes with 2 on the bench....

 

[Thistle]

What's the point? The time it takes to have one means the player is no longer going to take a part in the game and they may as well wait a few hours or extra day to determine the seriousness.

 

[tribey]

Is it time to have all-seater stadiums at hospitals?

 

[danielnajdek]

The guy on the show said a couple of hundred thousand. Even if it was a couple of million how much is the latest TV rights deal worth?!

That was the guy who came up with hot spot.

MRI's would cost at least $2 million each Eddie said.

 

[Anderson Brown]

There are 6 MRI machines within a 1Km radius of the MCG.

 

[telsor]

How long does it take to take and analyse an MRI?

If we're talking even half an hour, then it's not worth it, because clubs wont use it unless they already suspect it's serious enough to sub the player off anyway.

Could be worth having somewhere like the MCG where they play 3-4 games/week, but taking a mobile one to the 'occasional' grounds, setting it up, etc for a 'maybe' seems excessive.

 

[Flawed Genius]

MRI machines are both huge and expensive.

For most fractures, an xray machine would work just as well as an MRI machine.

 

[Marlin01]

I raised this last season and general concensus was that it's too expensive.

My second question was, why don't clubs give players precautionary scans on all players' knees and other danger points? My very limited understanding is that ACL's like LeCras' are a case of the final straw breaking the camel's back. Surely precautionary scans could have prevented this.

 

[kaiserchief13]

MRI machines are both huge and expensive.

For most fractures, an xray machine would work just as well as an MRI machine.

For bones yes but not for ligament or cartilage injuries.

 

[Flawed Genius]

For bones yes but not for ligament or cartilage injuries.

I know, xray machines don't show that type of damage, but where would you put the bloody thing? They're huge.

 

[Marlin01]

I know, xray machines don't show that type of damage, but where would you put the bloody thing? They're huge.

In the prayer rooms

 

[Starburns_]

The guy on the show said a couple of hundred thousand. Even if it was a couple of million how much is the latest TV rights deal worth?!

That was the guy with hot-spot which would only give a guide to inflammation, etc, nothing conclusive. The doctor from the Epworth said an MRI machine would cost about $2million each, to supply Melbourne (x2), WA, SA, NSW, and QLD it starts to get expensive, that doesn't even take into account Tassie, Canberra, Darwin, Geelong, Cairns.

The TV rights is massive, but it's not a bottomless pit of money, the AFL have plenty of things they need to fund (the players and the clubs alone make up a large %). If they were to find the money for these machines, it would probably be taken from grassroots football. It's worth looking at in the future when maybe the costs come down, and if more of a pattern emerges with injuries, but last night on EMT it seemed a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to what happened with Luke Ball.

Surely it takes longer than 10 minutes to get the results? You really wouldn't want more than 10 minutes with 2 on the bench....

They said 20 roughly minutes, which was pointed out is the length of the half-time break. But if an injury happened in the 2nd half, there'd be little point waiting to find out if a player was right to go unless you'd already used your sub.

 

[Starburns_]

I know, xray machines don't show that type of damage, but where would you put the bloody thing? They're huge.

The ones discussed on EMT were described as "portable", so my guess is that they're smaller and probably specifically designed for something like a knee.

 

[flamethrower]

The Epworth is 5 minutes from the MCG and RMH is a similar distance from Etihad - it makes far more sense to utililize existing analysers rather than installing new MRIs and the related infrastructure in seldom used stadiums.

If the AFL are serious about player health and OH&S issues they should revisit the 3/1 substitute rule to allow clubs some flexability when assessing an injury. That is activate the sub while the player is being assessed and then deactivate them if the original player is ok to continue.

 

[Flawed Genius]

The ones discussed on EMT were described as "portable", so my guess is that they're smaller and probably specifically designed for something like a knee.

AFAIK, portable MRI machines don't exist. At least not in hospitals.

 

[Furn]

AFAIK, portable MRI machines don't exist. At least not in hospitals.

There are mobile ones that go in a trailer like a semi pulls. I guess they could moved around to be used in other areas during the week.

 

[kBuck]

Logistically stupid!

What would be the point? Most scans take 5 mins prep time 15-25 minutes to do the scan and about 10 minutes to analyze. You've basically lost the player for two quarters while your doing the scan anyway.

The machines themselves are very expensive and then there is a lot of added expenses on top. i.e. paying for on going maintenance/skilled operators etc.

 

[Rob]

There are 6 MRI machines within a 1Km radius of the MCG.

There's at least one about 500m from Subi Oval as well at St John of God. You have to spend about 10 minutes just in the machine first, no idea how long it would take for results to come out. Either way, it's too long for a footy team to wait before making a decision.

 

[fomoco04]

The "Hot Spot" idea has merit.

Takes 10-20 seconds to tell if a player has inflamation in a joint etc. The images shown last night of rugby players hamstrings etc looked very promising.

 

[checkraiseulite]

In the prayer rooms

Well played, came to try to make the exact same joke.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Personally I'd be very offended if expensive MRI machines are ever used anywhere but in hospitals where everybody has access to them, not just overpaid footballers.