Tuesday 17 April 2007

MRI scans, hints and tips...


A friend of mine is going for an MRI scan soon and we were talking about what it is like and how to be more relaxed and comfortable with the process. So here are just a few tips if you are going for a MRI scan.
  • You will need to complete a form before you go in about any medical conditions so its worth getting there a little early to allow a few minutes for that.
  • Do check with them before you have it but i hear that if you wear joggers and a T shirt , or clothing with no metal eg zips and if you are female wear a sports bra(again as you can get ones with no clips), you wont need to change.
  • If you don't wear these type of clothes and you are having a body scan you may be asked to wear one of their oh so flattering gowns , those flappy ones with ties at the back! I wish i had known about wearing joggers etc before i had mine!
  • While in the scanner, do try to relax as much as possible. Its individual but i found it best to close my eyes and try to think myself on a lovely beach...
  • Take in a favorite CD and they will play it for you . It helps to relax you and you may as well enjoy your music while you are in there. The scanner is noisy so it is nice to have something else to focus on.
  • They will give you a button to press if you feel you need to stop. I found this reassuring although i didn't need to use it. Although no one can stay in the room with you they are not far away and they were so nice and kept checking on me and telling me what was happening.
  • If you know you are very claustrophobic do alert your health care provider when you are referred for the scan and tell them again when they do the scan so they can be aware. It is my understanding that if needed and arranged sedation can be made available if necessary.
  • Make sure you are as comfortable as possible as you will need to lie still for around 20 - 45 mins depending on the scan.
  • In my experience having a scan was fine, i would not mind if i had to have another one and it was much better than i thought it would be.
If you have any experience, tips or comments on MRI scans and you are happy to share them love to hear from you :)

All the best
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Clark,
an awesome article as i have only recently been given my date for an MRI and i felt very nervous about it but reading this has made me less so - although i still am if you get my meaning.

jasmine ann said...

Hi Clark,
Just to say glad it helped, i hope all goes well and sending good thoughts to you...

cynsha said...

Thank you for your article. I'm having an MRI done today for the first time, and was looking for suggestions. Your article helped to ease my mind.

jasmine ann said...

Hi cynsha,

I am glad to hear the article helped ease your mind about your MRI scan and I hope all went well for you. Love you to visit us again :)