FAQ

FAQ

  • What is an MRI and how does it work?
  • Can anybody have an MRI scan?
  • What do I have to do to prepare myself for an MRI scan ?
  • Should I avoid eating certain things before the MRI scan?
  • Does it hurt? Will I feel anything?
  •  Do I need a doctor’s prescription for an MRI?
  • What will happen?
  • Do I have to lie very still?
  • How long will it take?
  • Will I be getting an injection?
  • Is it OK to have an MRI if I’m pregnant?
  • Can someone else stay with me in the MRI scanner room?
  • When will I find out the results?

Q: What is MRI and how does it work
A: MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. An MRI scanner allows physicians to look inside the body without using surgery, harmful dyes, or X-rays. The MRI scanner uses magnets, radio waves and computers to produce very clear pictures, or images, of the human anatomy. MRI images depict soft tissue anatomy far better than any other diagnostic imaging equipment.

: What do I have to do to prepare myself for an MRI?
A: The first step is to be certain that it is safe for you to have an MRI scan (see previous question). Preparing for an MRI exam is easy. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you may take your medications as usual. There are no food or drink restrictions. The only unusual preparation for an MRI scan is that all removable metallic objects must be left outside the scanning room. These include jewelry, keys, watches, coins, eyeglasses, removable hearing aids, dentures and prosthetic devices. Credit cards should not be brought anywhere near the MRI magnet. Since they are magnetically coded, the MRI’s magnet, which is very powerful, can easily corrupt the information stored on them.

Q: Should I avoid eating certain things before the MRI?
A: There are no food or drink restrictions.

Q: Does it hurt? Will I feel anything?
A: You won’t feel a thing. Unlike many other MRI scanners, ours are quieter, comfortable and non-claustrophobic.

Q: Do I need a doctor’s prescription for an MRI?
A: Yes. Be sure to bring it with you when you come for your MRI exam.

Q: What should I bring with me when I come for my MRI?

  • The prescription from your doctor
  • Your insurance card
  • Your driver’s license
  • Your Patient Information sheet
  • Your Safety Form

AQ: What will happen?
A: Depending on the type of scan your doctor ordered, the MRI technologist may wrap a special belt (actually an antenna) around the region of your body that is to be scanned. If you are having a head scan, your head will rest in a special fixture. Once you are comfortably positioned, the technologist will start the scan. At that point, all you have to do is be as still as you can until the MRI exam is over – the more still, the better. The reason you have to lie still is that movement blurs the MRI images. Depending on what your doctor ordered and the area being scanned, the procedure will take between 15 and 45 minutes. The MRI technologist will be able to tell you how long it should take. You won’t feel anything, but you will hear some low-volume, intermittent, rumbling noises throughout the scan. These sounds are normal. Our scanners are very quiet in comparison to “tunnel” MRI.

Q: Do I have to remain very still?
A: Yes – as still as you can. The more still you are during the scan, the better the MRI image will come out. As stated previously, movement causes blurring in the picture. If you move too much, the pictures will be too blurry for the radiologist to see what he or she needs to see, and you will have to reschedule for another MRI exam.

Q: Will I be getting an injection?
A: It may be necessary to inject a patient with a contrast agent in order for the proper diagnosis to be made. Your referring doctor will make that decision. For example, MRI exams of regions containing scar tissue from a previous surgical procedure are often best evaluated with the aid of a contrast agent. The contrast agent is injected intravenously into the arm.

Q: Is it OK to have an MRI if I’m pregnant?
A: If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant, you must first consult with your physician before you have an MRI scan. You must also inform the staff at the MRI scanning center. It has not been shown that MRI is harmful to unborn children.

Q: Can someone else stay with me in the MRI scanner room?
A: Yes. Since our MRI scanners are open, there is ample space for someone to accompany you into the scanner room, and even hold your hand during the scan. Warning: The person accompanying the patient will be exposed to the scanner’s magnetic field just as the patient is, so please make sure it is safe for the visitor to be there.

Q: Can anybody have an MRI scan?
A: No. For some people, an MRI can be dangerous, even fatal. If you have a cardiac pacemaker, you should not have an MRI. It can be fatal. There may be certain parts in the pacemaker that may be adversely affected by the magnetic field of the MRI scanner, causing the apparatus to malfunction or cease operating. Another potential danger is an aneurysm clip in the brain. Some aneurysm clips are MRI safe; some aren’t. You must check with the surgeon who installed the clip to be sure the manufacturer has tested it and found it to be MRI safe.

Other Potential Dangers include:

Neurostimulators,  Heart Valves, Metal Implants, Drug Infusion Devise/Pump, Ear Implants, Hearing Aid (The MRI can damage it.) Inferior Vena Cava filter , Metal Objects in Eyes Surgical Staples or Wires Bone or Joint Replacements Metal Plates, Rods, Pins or Screws Contraceptive Diaphragms or Coils Permanent Dentures Penile Implants Shrapnel Pregnancy Vascular Coils and Filters.  If any of the above applies to you, it may be dangerous for you to have an MRI exam. Be sure to make the technologist and staff at the MRI center aware, and also tell the doctor who prescribed the exam. They will be able to tell you if it is safe for you to have the MRI exam. In most cases you will be able to have the scan, but please leave that decision to the professionals.

Please Note: Anyone accompanying the patient to any area near the MRI scanner is subject to the same dangers.