A brain MRI can take about 30 minutes to an hour to complete. It may take longer if you're getting a brain MRI with contrast. Your healthcare provider will be able to give you a more exact time range based on the specific reason for your scan.
Depending on the size of the area being scanned and how many images are taken, the whole procedure will take 15 to 90 minutes. The MRI scanner will make loud tapping noises at certain times during the procedure. This is the electric current in the scanner coils being turned on and off.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head is a painless, noninvasive test that produces detailed images of your brain and brain stem. An MRI machine creates the images using a magnetic field and radio waves. This test is also known as a brain MRI or a cranial MRI.
Head MRI is done in the hospital or a radiology center. You lie on a narrow table, which slides into a large tunnel-shaped scanner. Some MRI exams require a special dye, called contrast material. The dye is usually given during the test through a vein (IV) in your hand or forearm.
The radiologist may tell you some of the results of the MRI right after the test. Full results are sent to your doctor or specialist in 1 to 2 days. Normal: All structures of the head—the brain, its vessels, spaces, nerves, and surrounding structures—are normal.
Keep your eyes closed or even wear a blindfold.
It's much easier in an open MRI it's wider than a standard scanner, so patients shouldn't feel any walls touching them.
A brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, also called a head MRI, is a painless procedure that produces very clear images of the structures inside of your head — mainly, your brain. MRI uses a large magnet, radio waves and a computer to produce these detailed images. It doesn't use radiation.
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.
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.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are used most often to look for brain diseases. These scans will almost always show a brain tumor, if one is present.
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.
These slices, when put together, are useful for capturing detailed 3D images of the inside of your body—particularly the brain and spinal cord—to see both healthy and unhealthy tissue. A single MRI scan is useful for diagnosing a tumor.
What medications are used? 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.
A brain MRI can help doctors look for conditions such as bleeding, swelling, problems with the way the brain developed, tumors, infections, inflammation, damage from an injury or a stroke, or problems with the blood vessels. The MRI also can help doctors look for causes of headaches or seizures.
Unless you've been given medication or a sedative, you can resume your daily activities. Once your MRI scan is complete, you'll be escorted back to the changing area to retrieve your belongings. If your doctor gave you any medication or sedation, DO NOT attempt to drive yourself home.
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.
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.
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.
Imaging tests rarely help.
But a CT scan or an MRI rarely shows why the headache occurs. And they do not help you ease the pain. A doctor can diagnose most headaches during an office visit. The doctor asks you questions about your health and your symptoms.
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.
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.
Yes! Though we strive to make your MRI scan as comfortable as possible, the scan itself can still be stressful for some patients. We recommend that you bring a close friend or family member into the scanning room with you. They will be able to sit by your side during your Open MRI scan.