How do you prepare for an MRI with contrast?

Medical emergencies come calling as the most unexpected events in our lives. At such times, when the situation at hand seems serious, we are ready to put everything at stake for the treatment of our loved ones. However, in medical terms, correct treatment will mean a correct diagnosis. Doctors and specialists have to understand the root cause of an ailment to treat it. This is where body scanning is advised, which is done with MRIs or CT Scans. Hence, the prognosis of ailments and diagnosis of diseases MRIs and CT scans play a vital role.

An MRI is an imaging process which means that it is the process of taking pictures of the human anatomy that is referred to by doctors to diagnose a problem. MRI machines look menacing to many as it have a tube-like structure arched with a magnet. MRI scanning is a noninvasive method. However, sometimes it takes time and makes a patient uncomfortable. Moreover, these are a few things you must understand before you get an MRI done.

Here is a quick look at these crucial pointers that you should keep in mind:

1. If you are in the process of getting an MRI done for yourself or someone you know, ensure that you are getting it done where they use the latest state-of art 3T MRI machine. This machine is proven to produce high-quality images that make it easy for experts to diagnose medical problems conveniently.

2. The MRI report that a doctor reads and refers to is prepared by a radiologist. The latter, in turn, has expertise in interpreting images into medical terminology for medical specialists. Hence, it is important to ensure that the radiologists who prepare the MRI reports are experts so that you get a flawless report.

3. An MRI machine works as a combination of a powerful magnet, and radio waves. Hence, before being scanned by an MRI machine, the patient shall be asked to remove all the metal objects that the patient is wearing. So if you or someone you know is getting ready for an MRI scan, educate them about the importance of not wearing metal while getting an MRI done. Metal will inevitably interfere with the imaging. It will also cause severe electronic damages and cause severe static shocks. It is one of the reasons why people with pacemakers are not advised on MRI scans.

4. Are you afraid of getting an MRI done? Or is the patient who is getting an MRI getting panic attacks? Do not pass these fears as a passing funny moment because for the one panicking fear of MRI machines is a serious state. Such situations come into play, especially with older patients and children. If you are aware of such panic attacks, call the imaging center and ensure that they have an anesthetic expert for sedation. Ensure that the sedation expert is present throughout the scanning process.

5. People with a fear of congested spaces or those who suffer from claustrophobia might find MRI scanning extremely difficult to handle. However, the machine is now made with ambiances that provide patients with relaxing environments. Hence, we mentioned the 3T MRI machine earlier which lets a patient watch movies during the scanning process. This allows patients to relax, nullifying the need for sedation in most cases of claustrophobia.

MRIs play a decisive role in diagnosis. Hence, when getting an MRI done, ensure that you get it done from an imaging center that offers the latest 3T MRI machines that guarantee the best images.

Connect with us to learn more about how the AV Imaging team can help!

Awards & Recognition

ct seal
MR seal