What is it like having an MRI Scan? - Going into hospital for an MRI scan

Well, the letter came with two other forms, it came with a safety pamphlet and also a pamphlet explaining

what

an MRI is. When I read the security form, I was relieved to discover that none of it applied to me. I could say no. All the questions about whether I had heart disease or diabetes made it very clear that I was

going

to walk into a large magnet and that anything metallic on me would cause problems. The safety form is vital for a patient under

going

a

scan

. This machine is a big magnet and it can cause some problems if you get in there if you have any metal that we don't know about.

I have sometimes come by car, but it is a very busy

hospital

and although there are large car parks, it can sometimes be difficult to find a space. close to where you are going so if I can I go by public transport or on my bicycle they send you a clear map and it is easy to know where you are going although it seems like a very big place I found it better by looking for the reception to go to the main entrance of the

hospital

and then Ask at the first reception point, which is a guide to the entire hospital because each department has its own reception and you can end up queuing at the wrong reception sign if you have chosen the wrong department.

Firstly, I had to confirm my identity, so they ask me for your name, but they also ask you to confirm who you are using your date of birth, your address and your GP, which assures me that I am always being treated. With my notes and about my condition, my first priority when accompanying a patient to the

scan

ner is to make them feel comfortable with that environment so that they feel like they understand everything about the procedure and eliminate any feelings they may have that may be causing them problems before entering the scanner they take you to a cubicle and ask you to take off your shoes and in my case I took off my pants because I was wearing jeans with metal studs and a belt, so I was in a shirt and underwear and then they gave me a hospital gown.

I didn't need to wear a robe. I chose to use one. I think if you come in your own clothes that you feel comfortable in and that don't have metal in them, then it's perfectly fine to stick with

what

is. comfortable for you, then they gather all your things and put them in a secure, closed cubicle, so I always felt that anything you bring to the hospital is safely taken care of while they do the MRI for the type of MRI I had I have to put contrast dye in my arm. That worried me the first time it happened and I realized that radiologists do this many times, day after day, and they become very skilled at it, they connect the cannula to the machine uh that injects the dye, it's not painful and it's hardly You realize once they have inserted the tube that gives the Dy, patients sometimes need the injection for two reasons, one to slow down the arch if the arch is being photographed and secondly, it provides a different type of image information that is not obtained with a normal scan by receiving that injection when you enter the room where the scanner is.

There is a long bed with a pillow. on it and they lower it so it's easy to sit and move your legs and they show you where to lie down, you'll probably be there for about 20 or 30 minutes so they want to know if you're comfortable because you have to stay still for part of the time while you're in the scanner , when you are ready to enter the scanner and lie down on the rolling bed, they give you a light bulb to hold in your hand, which is like your way of communicating with the radiologists in the control room, if something happens or you feel uncomfortable or want Talk to them, you have immediate connection to the control room and they can get you out of there in a matter of seconds.

There are two things that you have at your disposal there is a microphone inside the scanner, it's not great and we also give the patient a buzzer so he can contact us absolutely immediately by pressing that buzzer during the scan. I was a little worried about how narrow the tube you go into is now open at the bottom end and the top end so you're not locked in if you relax and realize that's all there is, no There are moving parts, you just have to stay there. I found it was not a problem and I simply closed my eyes and felt like I was lying in a bed anywhere.

The noise when you're on the scanner is kind of a thump, it's a bit like a road drill, although not as sharp. It sounds like someone is trying to get in and banging on the outside of the scanner body. It's the cooling of the magnets that's happening, so once you understand that, you relax, you're not as aware of the noise as I thought. You would be because they put on hearing protectors that muffle the sound and you can also listen to music and the radiologists also talk to you, so once you relax with the sound, you are less and less aware of it and it is not a problem.

When you get a scan, the machine needs you to stay still so the images don't come out blurry, but that doesn't mean you have to be absolutely rigid throughout the entire process. The radiologist is taking several scans of you and this happens. in batches of two and five minutes and in between you can get comfortable. I have learned that it is important to stay still while the scan is being done, but you don't have to stay completely still for 30 minutes, the radiologist will tell you "Now we are going to do a 2 minute scan and you hear the machine start up, so be careful." If you stay still and you are fine, there is no problem when you come out of the scanner in the control room, the machine is collecting all the computer data that has been generated about you, the results of the machine have to be seen by a radiologist who interprets what you see on the screen, but often it also goes to other experts who then get together and decide what the meaning of all the information they get is that I have gathered information about you, although I felt like I wanted the answer right away.

It was worth being a little patient until they have gathered all the information and thought about what they can recommend you do. The results of these scans come to our radiologist to see. They then write a report that is sent to the referring consultant. I think the best advice I can give any patient is to ask as many questions as you need, make sure you understand everything that's going on around you, and then relax and enjoy. I discovered the procedure when I was offered an MRI. It produced a lot of really important information about my condition, so if your doctor invites you to have an MRI, I would highly recommend that you accept and have the scan.

It is a bit akward. But that is nothing compared to the brilliant way doctors have of finding out what your condition is and therefore choosing the right treatment for you.