Discussion: I have prolonged migraine pain. I asked my attending physician for an MRI, and he politely refused, claiming it was unneeded.

Migraine patients often live with a low quality of life, especially during attacks, but are usually not in a life-threatening situation. MRI imaging is a costly test relative to alternatives (CT or ultrasound). Doctors try to keep the MRI test for several conditions that are considered more urgent, including cancer patients, fear of cancerous tumors, complex surgeries, and life-threatening situations. This inevitably means that many patients are refused an MRI even if they have comprehensive health insurance. Some countries produce a deliberate shortage of MRI equipment to avoid the high financial outlay.