What It Is
A non-surgical procedure that allows physicians to look inside your body without the use of radiation (x-rays). An MRI is instrumental in early diagnosis of many illnesses.
How It's Performed
You are eased into a tube-like machine called a magnetic resonance imager (MRI). The machine creates a magnetic field that sends radio waves through your body and measures responses using a computer. This process results in a series of detailed images of the inside of your body. Our MRI trained radiologists then interpret these results. Your physician is then able to formulate treatment plans based on the findings.
What to Expect During the Exam
Your experience will differ slightly depending on the body area that is being scanned. Generally, you will be positioned on a padded table, and eased into the MRI machine, which is shaped like a tube. It has a hole at both ends.
Once inside, you will find the machine is quite noisy--it sort of sounds like a jackhammer, although the loudness isn't enough to cause any damage to your hearing. The knocking sounds made by the machine are a result of the intensity of the magnet as it takes pictures of you. If you are having a head scan, for example, the intensity must be increased, so the knocking sounds are louder. We encourage you to bring your favorite CD to the exam--or you can select one from our library. Listening to music during the scan minimizes the knocking sounds considerably.
You can also expect to hear the sound of a fan in the machine, as well as feel cold throughout the exam. (Because of the MRI's computerized equipment, the room must be kept at 68 degrees at all times.)
The average scan time is approximately 45 minutes. Your family members can go in the MRI room with you, if you wish. Some patients need to drink a contrast prior to the MRI. Your physician will tell you if you need to or not.