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.
What type of anesthesia is used for MRI? 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.
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.
Patients can be positioned in several different ways.
The Upright MRI is the only MRI scanner that can image patients in any position, whether it's sitting, standing, bending or lying down. This allows it to image any part of the body. All other MRIs can only scan patients while laying down.
During an MRI. The MRI unit looks like a large metal donut. The center hole is open on both ends. You will lie on a padded table that moves into the tunnel.
Why You Should Avoid Wearing Sanitary Pads During an MRI: Sanitary pads contain metal components, such as adhesive strips, which can interfere with the MRI scan and result in image distortion. This can lead to inaccurate diagnoses and potentially delay medical treatment.
Many MRI procedures don't require your head to go inside the machine at all, but if you need a head or upper spine MRI, you'll appreciate the fact our machine provides a full 12 inches of clearance between your face and the wall – relieving stress for our patients with claustrophobia.
Try not to change head or body position during a scan (while the magnet is beeping). If the head moves, it creates artifacts that are usually difficult if not impossible to fix. The position of body parts in the magnetic field distorts it.
You must lie very still 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.
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.
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.
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.
Consider Avoiding the Bathroom for Several Hours Prior to the Scan. If you have to go to the bathroom, then go to the bathroom. On the other hand, do not go to the bathroom unless you must. There is a chance that you may be asked to drink some contrast material before the scan.
It is one's own decision of whether or not to take shower during or after the radiology tests. Taking before is not a mandate but after the tests become necessary for an individual as during the tests so much of medical ointment is put on the body that one, obviously, won't like it after the test.
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.
The Morning of Your MRI
You can brush your teeth in the morning, just be sure to spit the water out!
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.
For most procedures, the patient goes into the MRI machine head-first, and the lower part of the body remains completely outside the machine. If you are having an MRI of your foot, knee or leg, you will go into the machine feet first, and your head and upper body will remain outside the machine.
You will also be asked you weight and height. This information will allow the pulse sequence to adhere to the specific absorption rate (SAR) limitations described in Chapter 9, and the proper choice of imaging hardware.
5. Brain imaging can reveal unsuspected causes of your anxiety. Anxiety can be caused by many things, such as neurohormonal imbalances, post-traumatic stress syndrome, or head injuries. Brain scans can offer clues to potential root causes of your anxiety, which can help find the most effective treatment plan.
In most cases, a family member or friend may enter the MRI room with you and stay with you throughout your exam. If the situation allows, they may even hold your hand or pat you on the knees so that you know that they are there with you.
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 will be asked to remove any clothing containing metal and all jewelry. You will be provided metal free clothing to change into such as gown, shorts or pants.