MRI anyone

[telewinz]

Due to get one next week.  What am I to expect?

[TarpleyG]

Depends on what's getting scanned.  I had my hips and lower lumbar done and it was okay except when they had to tape my toes together to get a certain picture of my hips.  Hurt like hell after about 30 minutes.

Greg

[MaterDei]

You just have to sit/stand very still for a while.  No pain involved unless they have to inject the dye and even that didn't hurt much.  The most uncomfortable part was signing the waiver not holding the clinic liable in the event that the dye killed me.  I figured if I was dead that I probably wouldn't be suing them so I signed it.

[brimic]

Had a few MRIs and CT scans before, its really no big deal, at least with the MRI you aren't irradiated, just put inside a very powerful magnet. You'll probably feel really cold due to the IV dye marker and because of the fact that medical equipment always feels really cold for some reason. Its more psychological discomfort than anything else.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

conventional tube-type MRI's are NOISY! Expect a lot of clicking, whirring, and thumping.   If they use contrast dye, it can feel either warm or cool, depending on the media.  The tube itself could make you nervous if you're claustrophobic. It's kind of like sliding into a 30 inch diameter sewer pipe.

If you have any ferrous metal in your body- shrapnel, leftovers from industrial accidents, even some types of tattoo ink it could cause problems as the magnets will try to pull it out.

Yes, the magnets are THAT STRONG. See here: http://www.simplyphysics.com/flying_objects.html


Regards,
Rabbit.

[Ben]

Ditto on what Rabbit said. When I had a full body one done they gave me earplugs for inside the machine, and I was glad of it. I'm not claustrophobic, but could see if someone tends towards it, that you could feel uncomfortable -- it's (mine at least was) a pretty narrow diameter tube. I actually found it rather relaxing and came close to nodding off a couple of times. If you're getting an upper body scan, you should be good at holding your breath.

[K Frame]

Searing agony while they reprogram your mind to make you a good Republican drone.

[telewinz]

Searing agony while they reprogram your mind to make you a good Republican drone.

Thats OK. I've been in pain since Bush was re-elected.

[Scott]

Can an MRI be done on someone with a titanium knee replacement?  I usually do not think of titanium as a ferrous metal, but strong magnetic fields cause strange behaviors in materials.

[Guest]

Titanium is fully MRI compatable. Thats one of the reasons they use it for surgical implants.

[TarpleyG]

Oh, try and get to a place that offers open MRI.  It's "open" and not like the conventional tube MRI machines.  Of course this is only an issue if you have problems with tight spaces.

Greg

[mhdishere]

I had an MRI on my spine, not a big deal but I'm not clautrophobic.  It's very noisy.  I didn't have the dye injection so can't comment on that.

[K Frame]

I AM an MRI...

Michael R. Irwin...

[mtnbkr]

I had an MRI on my spine

I AM an MRI...

[smartass]That must've hurt[/smartass]

Chris

[Guest]

I had one, but I was unconscious most of the time so it didn't bother me at all.

[Monkeyleg]

I just saw this post, so I hope I'm not too late to chime in.

Telewinz, do you know if you're claustrophobic or not? I didn't think I was until my first MRI a couple of years ago. I was about fifteen minutes into what they said would take about an hour, and I said "get me the hell out of here."

I've had two (or is it three) since then, and I have to be sedated. And, thanks to all of the mind-altering drugs I did many years back, it takes a lot to sedate me.

OTOH, my wife has no problems with it, neither do other friends and relatives. The noise--even while sedated--is really annoying, but that's about as bad as it gets.

Back in January I had a full colinoscopy, which I'm sure they give sedatives to everyone for, and for obvious reasons. Even after a triple dose of Twilight, I was alert, and could feel things pretty well. Hard to believe I went through one twenty years ago without any kind of sedative.

[atek3]

i've had my hand and leg done, all I can say is "BOOORRIIINGGGG"
you sit there for a long time and hear whirring and clicking and thumping.

atek3

[Kharn]

I had two done on my right shoulder due to a rotator cuff tear, one without dye, the second an hour later with dye.

It was kinda interesting, and about 15min into the first procedure I thought to myself "what would happen to me if everyone else left or died?" Since my right arm was basically useless due to the tear, I wouldnt have been able to slide myself out if I had to. I came to the conclusion finding out what was wrong with my shoulder was worth that miniscule chance.

They did have sound-powered headphones so I could listen to the radio the whole time.

And I was kinda pissed that I sat in a hallway for about 30min waiting for the dye injection and none of the fifty billion nurses that passed by mentioned that my gown was open on the side and everyone could see from ankle to armpit for a good 4" wide path.   (instead of opening in the back, you have a big sheet with three arm holes, so one arm goes through two holes and is supposed to hold it closed, no more walking down the halls with hospital crack)

Kharn

[Sam]

They didn't get it right on any of those descriptions.

What happens is they stuff you headfirst into a length of sewer pipe, just big enough for you to fit, but not scratch your lip.  Then some turnip yells at you saying to keep still all the time. Then they fire up 2 of them old one lunger cement mixers and pitch a bowling ball in each of them.  You sit lay there trying not to breath and wondering if you will ever hear again and they shut it off.


The docs look at the pix and tell you to come back next week for another one cause you moved and it's blurry  

Sam