Important Checklist…

Before attending for your MRI scan:

Ensure your MRI Safety Questionnaire is completed.
Ensure you phone 0800 467 4260 to confirm your appointment.
Arrive 15 minutes early.
Remove all jewellery and body piercings.
Remove all medication patches.
If you have taken a sedative, you will be unable to drive.

Safety in the MRI scanner is very important. The powerful magnetic fields can attract and interfere with metallic objects that you may have in, or on you. To ensure we are aware of all the risks, you will be required to complete a safety questionnaire prior to your scan. This must be filled in and you can expect it to be verbally confirmed multiple times. You must phone us immediately for further discussion if you have answered “yes” to any of the questions.

You may eat and drink normally and take your normal medications unless your appointment letter instructs you otherwise.

Arrive 15 minutes early for your scan. This will give our staff time to fully explain the scan to you and answer any questions or concerns you may have.

You will have to remove all metallic items such as your watch, coins, jewellery, credit cards and keys.

If your hands or feet are being scanned, please remove any nail polish from that area.

If your head or neck are being scanned, avoid excess eye makeup and hair products.

You will be required to change into a gown and sometimes disposable underwear, all of which we will provide.

Patients who suffer from severe claustrophobia (a fear of confined spaces) may need a mild sedative for the scan. This must be obtained from your GP.

To gain information we are required to place a “coil” over the area of your body that we are scanning. These are various shapes and sizes and in most cases will not touch you. You will hear a series of extremely loud knocking sounds from the scanner whilst being scanned. This is perfectly normal for this kind of scanner. We will provide you with either ear plugs or headphones to help reduce the noise level. Our MRI technologist will be in contact with you during the scan via an intercom. You will have a call bell to hold onto throughout the scan and you can use this to talk to the MRI technologist at any time. During the scan you will need to keep perfectly still as movement will degrade image quality. Depending on what part of your body we are scanning, the whole process can last between 15 and 90 minutes. Some scans require an injection of Gadolinium contrast media. The contrast can highlight areas of your body that we are scanning which can give more information to the radiologist, who is interpreting your images.

There is no evidence of any harmful effects on the human body from MRI scans. Caution is advised during pregnancy, if you are pregnant please advise our team prior to your appointment.

An MRI scan cannot be performed safely in some patients with implanted metal devices or if you have objects on your person that must not go in the scanner.

If you are required to have an injection of gadolinium contrast media, there is a very small risk of an allergic reaction. This will be discussed with you, prior to your scan.