Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

I had an MRI to confirm whether my oral cancer had spread anywhere else in my head and neck. My neck and head were clamped inside a metal cage/basket so I couldn't move then was slid into the gadget. A bit of a tight fit across the shoulders but luckily I'm not claustrophobic. My chosen music CD packed in after five minutes so I ended up listening to Radio 2 hoping that the bleedin' Carpenters didn't come on.

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

I've had 5 of them all on the prostate area so I was fairly well into the tunnel,I recorded my own cd's to take with me,spent alot of time trying to work out how it all worked.

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

It seems that they missed out an important factor:

"Why is it so important to remove ALL metallic objects before I enter the MRI scanning room?
You'll need to remove all metal objects for safety reasons and because they cause artifacts to appear on the MRI image"

Loose metal objects can be accelerated at high speed towards the magnet. One idiot in the early days took a metal trolley into the room. It was quickly attracted to the magnet and was impossible to remove. They had to 'quench' the magnet (at great expense, I might add) to remove it. Then spent many hours turning it back on again!

Some internal metal object, such as swarf in the eye, can be moved by the strong magnetic field. You can imagine what could happen to the eye in such cases. For that reason, it is usual to have an X-ray of the eyes beforehand if there is any likelihood.

Also, credit cards (and some other such objects) should be removed before entering the MRI room. The magnetic field would 'wipe' them!

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

Yes 3 times and a ct scan as well

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

Yes, I've had a few: one as a patient (slipped disc in my neck - unusual!) and the others as a 'guinea pig'. My wife set up and was in charge of an MRI scanner department in Manchester. She needed a 'volunteer' to practise different sequences, so there I was! It was very interesting, actually, seeing the effect on the images of different 'weightings'.

Some people are claustrophobic because there is not a lot of room in there. It is a tube with a diameter of between 2 and 3 feet, so there is no need to be worried about being squashed - unless you're extremely fat, and I'm sure you're not!

Also, it is well lit and you are being observed on CCTV at all times. You won't feel a thing, unless you have an injection which I don't think will happen for your spine. Yes, there will be a loud hammering sound, but they will provide ear protection.

Really, if you just relax and lie there I promise you that nothing will happen to you. Some people even fall asleep - I did!

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

You mean radiographers!

It could be worse: if you're a man, you're a doctor; if a woman, you're a nurse. The female radiographers especially don't like that assumption!

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

Meep I have had a scan of the spine it doesn't take so long .

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

Not a torture instrument. It's actually an aerial to pick up the radio waves that are emitted from your head.

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

Meep, try not to worry in advance or you'll get yourself in the wrong frame of mind before you start.
It is, as Jazzi said, noisy, bit like road works outside your window! But they do give you headphones and music and a panic button too. They also speak to you every now and then through the ear phones and ask if you are ok so don't worry.

I would definitely discuss anything that worries you before you go into the tunnel. They will be totally used to nervous people and will help you. Ask them if it matters if you have to cough etc. Get everything clear in your mind and you will be ok.
You might be worrying about the length of time in the tunnel, but that is something else to ask them while they are preparing you. It might be no where near as long as you think. The appointment time won't be just for the tunnel, don't forget it will also be waiting time, and getting undressed,
and talking to them as well.

As others have said, it does seem a narrow machine and I felt the 'ceiling' too near me as well because I get a bit claustrophobic being in a small space like that, so I kept my eyes closed all the time.

The secret is - RELAX, like others have also said. I layed there and just daydreamed, meditated and used my imagination to visualise lovely scenes, rather like Jazzi said. When they got me out, they said I never moved a muscle so I was well pleased.

I hope all goes well, just ask everything you want to know, then relax.
You will be fine. x

Re: Has anyone here had an MRI scan

Meep, another one here had a couple of MRI scans. I was told to take some of my own favourite music. They put it on the cd player. Make sure they turn it up as loud as you can bare. It is noisy in there and different postures for different things.

My arms were rigid by my side.

The second one I had was longer and the banging noises seemed to be related to each individual photo they took.

As a previous lady posted, I too kept my eyes closed all of the time and listened to the music. Different times spent for different things. It could be an hour or more, as I'm not sure if that includes the time for you to take 'the drink' first and the time for everything else before the actual scan.

Don' t worry, its painless .