As a result of the foreign body's ease of movement in the strong magnetic field at this period, your vision is seriously threatened. Because of this, radiologists advise keeping your eyes closed throughout an MRI to protect them.
You may experience fear, or if you suffer from anxiety, you may feel claustrophobic inside the MRI machine. It helps to close your eyes before going in and keep them closed.
Many of our examinations require your cooperation and ability to follow commands to hold your breath to produce the images required to make a diagnosis. For those examinations, we will not allow you to fall asleep. However, there are many other types of MRI examinations that do not require you to follow commands.
The most accurate MRI system is the closed MRI scan. You lie in a tube-like, narrow space structure for the scan. Patients often report feelings of claustrophobia while being scanned in a traditional closed MRI. Being obese can make it almost impossible to undergo a closed scan.
When not properly accommodated during an MRI, claustrophobic patients may experience panic attacks, which can bring on increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, chills, sweating, and other distressing symptoms.
Your comfort is our first concern while you are having a MRI scan. You will be in constant communication with the MRI technicians and you can stop the scan at any time.
How long does an MRI scan take? A single scan may take a few seconds or 3 to 8 minutes. You may be asked to hold your breath during short scans. The total scan lasts 15 to 90 minutes, depending on the size of the area being scanned and how many images are needed.
Since the MRI machines are magnets, it is best to not apply deodorants, antiperspirants, perfumes, or body lotions before the examination. These items contain metals that might interfere with the magnetic field inside the MRI machine and cause you to have distorted images and wrong results.
Your comfort and safety is our priority
We will make sure you are as comfortable as possible for your exam. In most situations, we may provide you with a leg cushion that provides back support, a warm blanket, and even prism glasses that will allow you to see the room outside the bore of the magnet (toward your feet).
Can a subject wear deodorant for an MRI scan? It is recommended to refrain from wearing any powder, perfumes, deodorant and/or lotions on your underarms and chest area prior to the procedure. This is to prevent the possibility of localized burns because these items may have metal in them.
Be sure to wear clothing that does not have any metal in it (zippers, buttons, etc.). If your clothes do have metal in them, you'll be given a hospital gown to change into for your scan. Normally you can wear your underwear and socks during the scan, unless your radiologist is concerned about metal microfibers.
If you need to cough or get an itch, tell them and they can get you out, or give you a short break between sequences. Then you are moved out of the machine, released, have your plastic tube removed and can go home.
Things to remember
Unless you're told otherwise, you can shower and wash your hair the morning of your MRI. Don't use any hair products (such as hair spray or hair gel). Don't wear any metal objects. Remove all jewelry, including body piercings.
Radiologists recommend fasting prior to undergoing a CT or MRI with contrast because of the possible side effects of the contrast agents. While rare, side effects of contrast can cause nausea or vomiting during the test. Vomiting while lying down could cause food blockages in your airway, known as asphyxia.
Why do we use pineapple juice? During the MRCP, the pancreatobiliary ducts can be obscured by the high-intensity signal from the stomach and duodenum. Pineapple juice has a high natural manganese content that increase T1- and decreasing T2- signal intensity.
You won't have pain from the magnetic field or radio waves used for the MRI test. But you may be tired or sore from lying in one position for a long time. If a contrast material is used, you may feel some coolness when it is put into your IV.
Individuals undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan often need to minimize movements for up to 10 minutes at a time to maximize scan quality. That can be challenging for many people. In fact, between 10 to 15% of all MRI scans need to be redone because of excessive movement during the scan.
If you move, the MRI scan pictures may not be clear. Your primary care physician may order you a mild sedative if you are claustrophobic (afraid of closed spaces), have a hard time staying still, or have chronic pain. You will hear very loud banging noises during the series of scans.
You will be given earplugs to wear, but you will still be able to hear and talk with MRI staff through a microphone. Please notify the technologist if you have any problems during the MRI. A coil might be placed around the part of your body being scanned such as your head, knee or abdomen.
For some MRI exams, depending on the body part being imaged, we may not need to have your head inside the scanner at all. This dramatically lowers the expectation or experience of claustrophobia.
Many patients find that an oral benzodiazepine, such as Xanax, Ativan, or Valium, taken prior to the exam sufficiently relieves their anxiety and allows them to complete an MRI with relative ease.
Sedation for diagnostic services conjures up images of pain and discomfort. MRI sedation is used during an MRI for patients who cannot remain still in the scanner due to problems such as anxiety, claustrophobia, or a condition that causes physical discomfort.
Gadobenate is a gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA). Gadobenate is given by injection before an MRI scan to help find problems in the brain, spine, and other parts of your body. This medicine is to be used only by or under the direct supervision of a doctor.