Mri

[HFJL2020]

im going for a mri next week anyone have an idea what willl happen

[sunny-dave]

Yes - you'll have to remove all clothing (except possibly vest/pants) and put on a gown.

They will check that you have no metal anywhere in or on your body.

You'll be given ear defenders which may have a radio to listen to.

Then you'll lie on a table and be moved into the MRI tube - which may be a full tube or a 'polo mint' shape.

It will then take about 10 minutes to scan you - with a lot of loud clanking and banging noises - you'll feel absolutely nothing though. You must lie very still. You'll have an emergency buzzer to press if you can't cope and need help.

When finished they'll process the results and you should get them in a week or so via your GP or hospital consultant.

[sunny-dave]

I've had a couple of MRIs (one on shoulder and one on lower back) - it really is a simple procedure and nothing to worry about.

[HFJL2020]

ta for brill info i feel a bit better now

[Buenchico]

It couldn't be simpler. You simply lie still and listen to some music being played through headphones. The machine does everything else. (The machine makes a lot of loud noises but it's not at all frightening or worrying). I rather enjoyed mine!

[sunny-dave]

A pleasure - I hope it all goes well.

[jno]

depends what they're scanning - my last one took 45 minutes and boy, was my nose starting to itch.

[Atheist]

I had one which only involved my lower body. I was in touch via headphones and a little button switch which I could press to talk to someone. It was fine. I must confess that I am a bit claustrophobic and would have been scared if my top half had been slid into the machine; but I reckon I would have coped, as I did when I had cataract operations. When you have to go, you have to go. If it's not an eye op, then you shut your eyes and count your slow breaths, focussing on how many seconds per breath and thus how many minutes are left. I am a huge physical coward, especially with eyes, but by focussing on counting, and inspired by my need to show my granddaughters that stuff like that is nothing to be too scared of, I get through it.
Good luck, and try not to worry. It's never as bad as you think it might be.

[bednobs]

just as a note of caution, it depends on the purpose of the scan how long it takes. I had a cardiac MRI that took over an hour before

[Milo2]

I had an MRI of my spine a few months ago and it was as sunny-dave has described. I wasn’t looking forward to it but it was fine.

[gness]

HF. I had an MRI of my face. Took a while but I was happy with that as I had two children and the break was bliss. You'll be fine.

[sddsddean]

I can never work out why such a high tech machine sounds like a bag of spanners!!

[Musictv2019]

I had a cardiac mri scan a few years ago I got so claustrophobic that the doctor had to end the scan early before the dye could be used

[Scarlett]

Ive never had to remove my clothes. I take my bra off before I leave the house cos of metal clips. I leave my watch in my bag and put it in a locker. They put my glasses and my stick just inside the door and check I have no metal at all. I lie on the bed thing and ask for pillows or a wedge to go under my knees as it’s not comfortable to lie flat. They hand me ear plugs and put headphones on me, and give me a button to press if I want to stop for any reason.
Then you hear them through the headphones telling you they’re going to start and how long each image will take. Last time they tried to make me go in head first and I just said can I go in feet first- made sense as it was a back scan. They were very easy going. It’s never scary as you can see the end of the machine at all times.
I then sing my favourite songs in my head to the rhythm of the machine and chill. It’s over in a flash, and before you know it, you’re out and they’re helping you with your headphones and sitting you up. It’s fun!

[LadyCG]

I had an MRI C-spine recently. It was 12 minutes that I had to lie still and I nearly fell asleep. I didn't go all the way in as they only wanted to look at the top of my spine and because I have metalwork in my left ankle.

They must have fast-tracked the report to my GP because she rang me the next day on my mobile to convey the results and discuss onward referral. I'm just waiting now for an appointment with the Neurosurgeons at another hospital but if my recent experience with that other hospital is anything to go by, I won't be hearing from them any time soon and I won't be dealing with anyone with a degree of competence. It has just taken them 8 months to reject a referral on a paediatric patient of ours.

The MRI itself which was done where I work was a happy, trouble-free experience.

[emmie]

i have had several done, if you are claustrophobic like me then you will find it difficult. The banging, clanging is a pain, but dependent on what part of the body they do, may not drag on too long. I had one done on my whole body and it took 45 minutes.

[derekpara]

Like Emmie, I have had several MRIs covering pelvis to kneck and they can vary in length from about 12-60 minutes. If you enter fully, your face will be quite close to the 'ceiling' and I always keep my eyes firmly closed for the entire process, carry out gentle breathing and think of nice things. Don't worry, you won't feel a thing. Good luck.
D

[jennyjoan]

what happens if you have metal in your arm for instance - just asking this for curiosity

[Sqad]

Usually, depending upon where the metal is and what is the function, is no big deal, particularly if it is deep in the body e.g metal hip.
However if it is near the surface e.g pacemaker then it may bu.gger up the images and could change or effect the settings of the pacemaker.

[Gill1941]

I have two metal hips and never any problem with MRI scans.

[Electrochem]

With reference to having metal implants. I was due to have an MRI recently, but following a nasty accident many years ago, I have quite a few metal implants in my face. As MRI stands for Medical Resonance Imaging, the metal can shift around and damage nearby organs and tissue. As a result of that, I had to have an X Ray and they decided not to carry out an MRI because of the risk.