Yes, you often have to change out of your pants (and other clothes) for an MRI because the powerful magnet can pull on metal, and many modern fabrics (like athletic wear with silver/coolmax) contain hidden metallic fibers that heat up and can cause burns, so you'll usually switch into a metal-free hospital gown or scrubs provided by the facility. You must remove all jewelry, watches, and electronics, but even your own comfortable cotton pants might be disallowed if they have metal parts or special fibers, making a gown the safest choice.
Often, patients can keep their clothes on instead of changing into a gown, so you may opt for your comfy yoga pants and a workout top or sweats. But what you wear during an MRI actually matters a lot.
Clothing that is unsafe to wear during your scan includes: • clothing with metal fastenings and fibres • bras with metal wires and fastenings • sportswear with anti-microbial properties • period/incontinence underwear. Disposable equivalents to period/incontinence underwear are safe to wear for your scan.
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.)
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.
Proper preparation ensures that the MRI images are clear and free from distortions. Eating or drinking before certain types of MRIs can introduce variables, such as movement in the gastrointestinal tract or the presence of fluids, that may compromise the scan's accuracy.
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.
Greasy foods should be avoided even if you aren't required to fast because they can upset your stomach and make it difficult for you to lie still. Avoiding caffeine-filled drinks will also help you remain still for the duration of your MRI.
MRI is also contraindicated in the presence of internal metallic objects such as bullets or shrapnel, as well as surgical clips, pins, plates, screws, metal sutures, or wire mesh. If you are pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant, you should notify your physician.
If you take any narcotic pain medicine, or medicines for nausea or gastric motility, please call to discuss prior to your exam. Duration of exam: 4.5 hours. Preparation: Nothing by mouth for at least 6 hours. No gum, no smoking, no food, no water, no brushing teeth.
It is perfectly safe for you to have an MRI scan with us while you are on your period and there is no requirement to discuss this with your radiographer. Sanitary pads, tampons, silicone period cups and discs are all fine to wear during your scan.
Watches and belts will always have to be removed. For women, most exams require that the bra is removed because of the under wire and hooks. Sports bras are recommended. Pants or shorts with buttons and zippers have to be removed for most (not all) exams.
Do not arrive with wet hair (for brain MRIs) Do not wash your hair with dry shampoo (for brain MRIs) Do not arrive with recently dyed hair (~3 days prior; for brain MRIs) Do not wear hairspray, hair wax, or hair gel (for brain MRIs)
During the exam
You will be asked to change into a hospital gown, pants, robe, and socks and place your clothes and belongings in a locker. Leave valuables at home, including jewelry, to prevent from being lost.
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. If you have questions about these procedures, please feel free to contact the study coordinator.
Changing into a Gown or Scrubs
For the safety of patients and staff, all patients completing an MRI exam are asked to change into scrubs. This ensures all metal is removed, and there are no metal shavings or material in your clothing that would degrade the MRI images or cause injury.
You Can Have Metal Fillings and Get an MRI!
MRI magnets don't attract every type of metal, so they won't attract any type of metal that isn't ferromagnetic. You only need to be concerned with things like nickel, iron, and cobalt.
What are some coping tips if I am scared of an MRI?
How long is my MRI exam? The length of your exam will depend on what is ordered by your doctor, or the body part of interest. In general exams will take 45-60 minutes and up to 2 hours for specialty exams. On average, brain and spine exams may last about 45 minutes.
Eating or drinking triggers processes in the body to digest what has just been ingested. This involves peristalsis - involuntary muscle contractions throughout the digestive tract to move the food through the digestive system. These muscle movements can cause smearing or anomalies in the MRI image (known as artifacts).
Increased movement can result in the images being blurred or of poorer quality but being in an enclosed space can cause some people to become stressed, and in some more extreme cases, cause panic attacks.
Sleeping during an MRI is safe if you stay very quiet. MRI machines need you to lie very, very quietly for a long time. If you can do this while asleep, it's okay. But, it's very important to listen to your doctor and the MRI tech.
An MRI scan cost varies widely, from a few hundred dollars for Medicare-eligible scans (often with low out-of-pocket fees of $100-$300 for specific conditions) to over $1,000-$3,000+ for non-eligible, specialized, or full-body scans, depending heavily on location, clinic, need for contrast, and insurance coverage, with bulk billing available in some cases for eligible patients.
Bring a family member or friend with you if you need to wait for examination results. They can talk with you and be there to support you during and after the examination. They can also drive you home if you have sedative medicine during the examination. If you do take sedative medication, you cannot drive yourself.
Some MRIs require an injection of a contrast dye to highlight certain tissues and blood vessels. This dye can occasionally cause nausea as a side effect. Having an empty stomach helps reduce the risk of feeling sick or vomiting during the procedure.