Download Cardiac MRI - Chelsea Outpatient Centre

Name:
Appointment date:
Arrival time:
Scan time:
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Your consultant’s name:
Chelsea Outpatient Centre is at 280 Kings Road, just
past Chelsea Town Hall and on the same side of the road
as Chelsea Fire Station. The entrance is next to the
furniture store, Poliform.
Well positioned for Sloane Square and South Kensington
tube stations, the Centre has good road links to Victoria
mainline station and London’s major airports.
By tube: The nearest underground stations are Sloane
Square and South Kensington (District and Circle lines),
both of which are about 15 minutes walk away.
By bus: Bus numbers 11, 19, 22 and 319 stop just
outside Chelsea Outpatient Centre.
By train: The nearest mainline train station is London
Victoria, which is about 15 minutes walk away.
Local parking facilities: Car parking is limited in the
Kings Road area, although there is a public car park
nearby in Sydney Street and some metered parking is also
available locally.
Notes for patients:
Your arrival time is set to accommodate registration and
allows your details to be updated on the hospital system
prior to your appointment.
Before arriving you MUST obtain specific pre-authorisation
for Cardiac MRI from your insurance company. You will be
asked for these details during registration. If you are paying
for your scan yourself, please bring a method of payment
with you to your appointment. All major credit cards are
accepted, as are personal cheques up the limit of your
cheque guarantee card.
Cancellation fees apply: If you’re late for your appointment,
your scan may need to be re-booked. A cancellation fee
will be charged for late arrivals or cancellations where less
than 24 hours’ notice is given.
Please note: we do not have childcare facilities at Chelsea
Outpatient Centre.
Imaging Services department, Chelsea Outpatient Centre
280 Kings Road
London SW3 5AW
t: 020 7881 4114
f: 020 7349 3893
w: www.chelseaoutpatientcentre.com
Cardiac MRI
What do I need to do before the MRI scan?
Please ensure you arrive at least 15 minutes before your
appointment time. A member of staff will go through the
MRI safety and contrast questionnaire with you and
thoroughly explain the procedure. You'll be provided with a
gown and slippers, and asked to change.
What is a cardiac MRI scan?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. A cardiac MRI
scan is a non-invasive test with no radiation that accurately
measures the heart’s function and condition.
It uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create
detailed cross-sectional images of your heart. The entire study
will take around 1 to 11/2 hours, after which you can return to
work or continue with your daily activities. During the cardiac
MRI, we will obtain pictures of your heart and moving
images which demonstrate how your heart functions.
Cardiac MRI is used to diagnose and assess many diseases
and conditions, including:
Cardiac tumours
Congenital heart defects
The MRI radiographer will ask you to complete and sign
a safety questionnaire, which ascertains whether MRI is
suitable and safe for you.
You’ll then be asked to remove any jewellery, metallic objects
and any other items that could be damaged by the magnetic
field. These items will be securely stored in a locker.
Women should always inform the Radiographer if there is
any chance they are pregnant.
Please bring:
Your own music to listen to during the scan
The request form or letter from your doctor, if you
were given one as well as any previous cardiac
studies and test results.
What happens during the cardiac MRI scan?
Heart failure
The radiographer will ask you to lie comfortably on the MRI
scanner table. ECG dots will be attached to your chest. A
coil, which is a very light piece of equipment, will gently lie
across your chest, enabling us to obtain clear pictures of
your heart. The radiographer will practice the 10 second
breath holds with you – you’ll need to perform these
throughout the examination. The scanner is quite noisy, so
you will be given some headphones to reduce the noise,
and you will hear both your selection of music and the
radiographer’s instructions through these. You will also be
given a call bell to hold for the duration of the scan in case
you need the radiographer at any point. Towards the end
Pericarditis (a condition in which the membrane
around your heart is inflamed).
How does an MRI scan work?
The scanner users a strong magnetic field and radiowaves to
assess the heart’s function and condition, and to take
images of the heart and your major blood vessels. Using
a computer, this information is converted into a black and
white picture.
Will I need to have an injection?
You will be injected with a contrast agent (dye), which
helps to provide clearer images and potentially aid your
diagnosis.
Who does the scan?
The MRI scan is performed by a radiographer and your
results are reported by a Consultant Radiologist or
Cardiologist.
What should I bring with me?
Damage from a heart attack
Hypertension
of the study, with about 10 minutes to go, we will inject a
contrast agent called Gadolinium into the cannula, and
continue to scan your heart, watching the contrast go
through it. You will not feel anything from this contrast
agent and there is no preparation for the scan.
What happens after the scan?
The results and images from your scan will be sent to your
referring clinician within 48 hours. We can also provide
you with your own copy of the images on CD. If required,
we may be able to provide urgent results sooner - please
discuss this with one of the team when you book your
appointment. For you, there are no restrictions on
returning to normal activity immediately after your scan.
Rearranging an appointment
If you need to rearrange or cancel an existing
appointment, call the Imaging team on 020 7349 3851.
Any other questions?
If you have any other questions about your MRI scan, just
contact an MR radiographer on 020 7349 3851.