Feeling Nervous About Your Upcoming MRI Scan? Here Is Everything You Need to Know

When your doctor tells you that you need an MRI scan, it is completely normal to feel a little nervous or stressed. You might wonder what the giant machine looks like, if the test will hurt, or how long it will take. Having these questions pop into your head is a very common part of preparing for any medical test.

Because of this, we want to walk you through everything you need to know about an MRI scan in plain, simple English. By the time you finish reading this complete guide, you will have a clear understanding of what happens and why your doctor ordered this test.

What Is an MRI Scan?

MRI is short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. In simple terms, it is a medical test that uses a strong magnetic field, radio waves, and a computer to take very clear, detailed pictures of the inside of your body.

Right now, you might wonder if a CT scan does the exact same thing. Yes, both scans let doctors look inside your body to see what is going on, but there are important differences between them.

A CT scan uses X-ray technology. Doctors often use CT scans to check for broken bones, tumors, or emergency health problems because they take only about ten minutes and cost less than an MRI. However, a CT scan exposes your body to radiation.

On the other hand, an MRI scan produces much clearer and more detailed pictures. Doctors rely on MRIs especially to look at soft tissues like your brain, spinal cord, muscles, and ligaments. Best of all, an MRI does not use X-rays or any other harmful radiation, making it very safe. The main tradeoff is that an MRI takes longer, sometimes up to an hour.

How Does an MRI Machine Work?

Imagine an MRI machine as a large, tube-shaped tunnel surrounded by a very powerful magnet. When you lie down and move inside this tunnel, the magnetic field lines up tiny particles inside the water molecules of your body called protons.

Next, the machine sends out radio waves that make these tiny particles spin. When the machine turns off the radio waves, the particles return to their normal positions and release special signals. A computer catches these signals and turns them into a detailed picture of the body part your doctor wants to examine.

Contrast Dye: With and Without

Sometimes, before your MRI scan starts, a nurse or technician will inject a special medicine called a contrast dye into a vein in your arm. This dye helps your doctor see internal structures much more clearly, especially when comparing healthy tissue to abnormal growths or tumors.

Doctors most often use a type of contrast dye called gadolinium. When injected, this medicine might leave a slight metallic taste in your mouth for a brief moment. Not every MRI scan requires this contrast dye, as many clear pictures can be taken without it.

Also, doctors avoid using contrast dye in people with severe kidney disease or women who are pregnant to prevent potential complications. Your medical team will decide if you need this special dye based on your unique health needs.

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What Conditions Can an MRI Detect?

An MRI scan serves as a vital medical tool to diagnose illnesses and injuries, and to check how well your body responds to treatments. Doctors can order an MRI for many different parts of your body.

What Are the Risks of an MRI Scan?

An MRI scan is generally considered a very safe medical test for most people. However, you need to understand a few important safety factors before stepping into the scanning room.

Metal Implants and MRI

This is the most critical safety issue you must keep in mind. Because the MRI machine relies on an extremely powerful magnet, having any metal objects inside or on your body can create serious hazards.

You must tell your doctor and the MRI staff right away if you have any of the following items in your body:

• A heart pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).
• Clips used for brain aneurysms.
• Artificial heart valves.
• Cochlear implants for hearing.
• Shrapnel or bullet fragments from previous injuries.
• Artificial joints, pins, plates, or surgical screws.
• Dental fillings or braces, though these are usually safe and rarely cause issues.
• Body piercings that cannot be removed easily.

While many modern pacemakers and surgical implants are built to be MRI-compatible, older devices can malfunction or shift inside the body. For your own safety, never hide any details about metal in your body.

Pregnancy and MRI

Doctors typically avoid performing MRI scans during the first trimester of pregnancy unless it is medically necessary. This precaution protects the developing baby during its early stages of organ formation. Doctors can perform MRIs later in pregnancy if needed.

If a nursing mother receives contrast dye, a very small amount may pass into breast milk. While research has not proven this to be harmful, some mothers choose to pump and discard their breast milk for 24 hours after the scan as an extra precaution. Discuss any feeding concerns with your doctor beforehand.

How to Prepare for an MRI Scan?

Preparing properly for your MRI scan helps the appointment run smoothly and ensures your safety from start to finish.

Things to Tell Your Doctor Before the Scan

• Any kidney or liver health problems you currently have.
• Whether you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.
• Any known allergies, especially to contrast dye or specific medicines.
• Any metal implants, surgical clips, or metal fragments in your body.
• If you suffer from claustrophobia, which is a severe fear of small, enclosed spaces. If you feel this way, your doctor can prescribe a mild calming medicine or schedule your test in an open MRI machine.
• If you have tattoos, as some older tattoo inks contain metallic particles that can warm up slightly during the scan.

On the Day of the Scan

Bringing metal objects into the MRI scanning room is strictly prohibited. Before you enter the room, make sure you take off all metal items:

• Jewelry, watches, earrings, and rings.
• Bras with underwire support.
• Hairpins, wallets, and coins.
• Credit cards and ID cards, as the strong magnetic field can erase their magnetic data.
• Mobile phones and electronic devices.
• Eyeglasses and removable dentures.

Hospital staff will usually ask you to change into a comfortable hospital gown before the scan begins to ensure no hidden metal is on your clothing.

What Happens During and After the Scan?

A technologist will help you lie down comfortably on a sliding table, which then moves slowly into the open tunnel of the MRI machine. They may use soft straps or pillows to help you stay completely still during the process. The technologist will monitor you closely from an adjacent control room through a window.

While the machine is working, you will hear loud tapping, thumping, and clicking noises. These sounds happen because the machine's internal magnets rapidly switch on and off to take pictures. Do not let these sounds startle you. The clinic will provide you with earplugs or specialized headphones playing relaxing music to protect your ears.

Some people feel a slight twitching sensation in their muscles due to nerve stimulation from the magnetic field, which is completely normal and harmless.

Depending on which body part your doctor is examining, the scan usually lasts anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes.

Once the scan finishes, you can get up and return to your normal daily routine right away. However, if you took a calming medicine or mild sedative for anxiety, you must wait at the hospital until the medicine wears off completely, and you will need a trusted friend or family member to drive you home.

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