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.
It's important that patients remove all clothing prior to their MRI exam.
Various clothing items such as athletic wear (e.g., yoga pants, shirts, etc.), socks, braces, and others may contain metallic threads or metal-based anti-bacterial compounds that may pose a hazard. These items can heat up and burn the patient during an MRI.
You will be asked to wear a hospital gown or clothes without metal zippers or snaps (such as sweatpants and a t-shirt). Make sure you take off your watch, jewelry and wallet. Some types of metal can cause blurry images. You will lie on a narrow table that slides into a tunnel-like scanner.
Providence radiology experts recommend cotton clothing or hospital gowns to keep patients safe and comfortable during their procedure.
If You Have an Overactive Bladder
This feeling of urgency can make it harder to hold urine in. While you may still experience this urgency to a degree, not drinking for several hours before your procedure can make you less likely to experience incontinence during the scan.
The clasps on the back of a regular bra are not a problem, but avoid wearing bras that have metal parts on the straps. Avoid wearing mascara (can contain metal flakes), hair gel and wet hair. Water in hair can throw off magnet signal.
Depending on which part of your body is being scanned, you may need to wear a hospital gown during the procedure. If you don't need to wear a gown, you should wear clothes without metal zips, fasteners, buttons, underwire (bras), belts or buckles.
The MRI scanner is well lit, and has a fan to ensure you are at a comfortable temperature. You will be required to lie still during the MRI scan but will be made as comfortable as possible with the use of pads, a pillow, and supports.
Patients undergoing a knee or leg MRI can go 'feet first' into the open MRI scanner. We can usually offer this for patients having an MRI of their hip or pelvis, lumbar spine, or abdomen, as well.
Please wear comfortable clothing. Cotton, polyester, and wool are best. Don't worry about the snaps or zippers on pants, as that metal can be allowed into the scanning facility.
Wear loose comfortable clothing and avoid clothing with zippers, buttons, or belts made of metal. Please leave valuable jewelry at home. If there is any possibility that you are pregnant, you should inform the technologist.
Any individual undergoing an MR procedure must remove all readily removable metallic personal belongings..., and clothing items which may contain metallic fasteners, hooks, zippers, loose metallic components or metallic threads. (pg 506 Kanal et al.)
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.
Counting numbers or listening to music: Counting slowly or listening to a soothing melody can help distract you and make the time pass quickly while you are in the scanner. Talk to the Technician: In most instances, you can speak to the technician throughout most of the procedure.
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.
Generally, MRIs under anesthesia are performed under sedation, although sometimes they are performed under general anesthesia. Sedation is characterized as being in a state between relaxed and very sleepy, but not quite unconscious.
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.
Some cosmetics contain metals that can interact with MRI magnets, so on the day of the MRI don't wear makeup or nail polish. Also, minimize hair products and forgo antiperspirants and sunscreens, which contain metals, just to be safe.
The magnet on the MRI is very strong. For your safety, it is LDC's policy that all patients undress and put on a gown to ensure that we do not get any artifacts from threads or hidden metal in your clothing. Not only for your safety, but we also want to make sure nothing obscures the images.
In addition it is likely that a number of mascaras will be contaminated with heavy metals. As a result of this observation we now ensure that all patients who are undergoing MR imaging of the head, remove all facial cosmetics as well as any jewelry prior to imaging.
There is no special preparation necessary for the MRI examination. There are no food or drink restrictions prior to the MRI exam. Continue to take any medication prescribed by your doctor unless otherwise directed. MRI or MRA Kidneys, MRCP, Liver or Pelvis: Do not eat anything four hours before the exam.
Eating before your appointment
If you are receiving a certain cardiac MRI examination, you may not have food for two hours before the examination and NO coffee (decaf or regular); NO caffeine; NO tea; and NO chocolate for 24 hours prior to the examination.
Doctors say you should not drink alcohol or caffeine before an MRI scan! Of course, it is because alcohol & caffeine are both stimulators of blood pressure & flow. When such a thing happens, you are likely to get false MRI images!