MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan (MRI) is used to help detect injuries or abnormalities in many parts of your body. It uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed images of your body. It’s a noninvasive procedure and an MRI does not use x-rays.

Your doctor will request an MRI to look for:

  • Tumors or other abnormalities in your liver, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, uterus and ovaries (in women), or prostate and testicles (in men).
  • Aneurysms, strokes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, or disorders of the eye and inner ear.
  • Joint disorders, including arthritis, bone infections, joint problems caused by traumatic or repetitive injuries, or disk abnormalities in the spine.
  • Heart health, including the size and function of its chambers, thickness and movement of its walls, inflammation or blockages of blood vessels, or to assess damage from heart attack or heart disease.

Before the Procedure

  • You may be able to eat and drink normally or you may be asked not to eat or drink anything for up to six hours prior to your test. It depends on the type of study being performed.
  • You may be given a gown to wear, or asked to wear loose fitting clothing with no metallic snaps, clasps, or zippers.
  • Remove all jewelry including metal piercings.
  • Empty your pockets and remove all hairpins from your hair.
  • Let your doctor know if you are claustrophobic. He or she may prescribe a sedative to make the test more comfortable for you.
  • You may have dye (contrast) injected into your veins intravenously to make it easier for the MRI to be read.
  • Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any allergies to radiology contrasts, or if you have kidney or liver problems.
  • Let your doctor and MRI technician know if you have any metal in your body like pacemakers, shrapnel, implants, surgical plates or screws, or if you have any tattoos.

During the Procedure

  • You’ll lie completely still on a narrow table inside a large, tunnel-shaped scanner that’s open at both ends.
  • You’ll be alone while the technician operates the MRI scanner from a nearby room, but you can communicate with one another via a microphone.
  • You may be given earplugs to cancel out the loud “drumming” noise of the machine.

An MRI scan generally lasts between 45 and 90 minutes.

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