You will still be awake during the examination, however the anaesthetist will use the appropriate amount of sedative to allow you to comfortably complete the scan without impacting on your day's activities. In most instances, you will still be aware of (and be able to recall) the examination.
Propofol will be given through an I.V. to induce sleep. This medication has a short duration of action and a rapid recovery time and is administered to make sure you remain asleep during the entire MRI study.
The test usually takes 30 to 60 minutes but can take as long as 2 hours.
Ketamine is used as a sedative for MRI because its analgesic component is not necessary for MRI.
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. Ask your caregiver if you want a family member to remain with you during the examination.
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.
The magnetic fields that change with time create loud knocking noises which may harm hearing if adequate ear protection is not used. They may also cause peripheral muscle or nerve stimulation that may feel like a twitching sensation. The radiofrequency energy used during the MRI scan could lead to heating of the body.
Medication
If you need additional support for your anxiety, your referring provider may prescribe a benzodiazepine to take prior to the exam. Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and can typically relax an anxious patient enough to complete an MRI.
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.
Most brain MRI exams are painless, but some people find it uncomfortable to remain still for 30 minutes or longer. Others may experience anxiety due to the closed-in space while in the MRI machine. The machine can also be noisy.
Why am I having a brain MRI? From your brain MRI scan, doctors can understand whether you've had a stroke or have vascular dementia, or both. It may also be used to investigate whether you have any other conditions, such as cancer. An MRI will be used to investigate why you're experiencing symptoms.
MRIs are also the preferred scan for looking at brain tumors.
They may also exhibit intense fears of suffocation. With that in mind, it's also somewhat common for people to experience claustrophobia episodes during an MRI scan. MRIs are often necessary exams for taking care of your health.
You will be in constant communication with the MRI technicians and you can stop the scan at any time. We have a fan in case you get warm, blankets in case you are cool and bolstering pillows to help you stay comfortable during a long scan.
You should not have to do too much to prepare for a head MRI. You may be able to eat, drink and take your medications as usual. However, if your doctor ordered a scan for other parts of your body, such as your abdominal region, they may instruct you not to drink or eat four to six hours before the test.
Dexmedetomidine acts on the alpha-2 receptor to produce a natural sleep-like condition [4], and is thus used for MRI sedation in patients with claustrophobia [5,6].
Functional MRI studies on patients with major depression demonstrated abnormal excitations and inhibitions in the prefrontal cortex also known as the connectome - the network of neural connections within the brain. This part of the brain governs cognitive ability and emotions.
A. Diazepam 5 mg po, once for MRI study or Lorazepam 1mg po, once for MRI study.
There aren't any side-effects from the MRI scan itself. However, if you've had an injection of contrast medium (dye) as part of the investigation, you may have some side-effects which might include a skin rash, dizziness, a headache, and nausea.
After the scan, you can resume normal activities immediately. But if you have had a sedative, a friend or relative will need to take you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours. It's not safe to drive, operate heavy machinery or drink alcohol for 24 hours after having a sedative.
On very rare occasions, a few patients experience side effects from the contrast material. These may include nausea, headache, and pain at the site of injection. It is very rare that patients experience hives, itchy eyes, or other allergic reactions to the contrast material.