Download mri (magnetic resonance imaging)

Patient Information- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
MRI (MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING)
WHAT IS MRI?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or MRI Scanning is a painless imaging tool, which uses magnetic
fields and radio waves to produce a range of images of the body. This can include soft tissue or bone
structures and is used by medical professionals to view areas such as the brain, spine, spinal cord
and joints.
DO I NEED AN APPOINTMENT?
Most MRI scans will take about 20-30 minutes, however you may be required to attend for as long
as 30-45 minutes. We ask if you could please call us to make an appointment or drop past and
arrange a suitable time.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY MRI?
Before your examination you must tell us if you:
 Are pregnant, or suspect you are
 Have ever experienced a severe reaction to a previous injection of contrast
media
 Are allergic to any prescribed medication
 Suffer from hay fever, are asthmatic or have kidney disease
 Are a diabetic
 Have any information you believe may be relevant to your examination
What to bring
 Referral from your doctor
 Previous films. If you have had a previous examination in any of our practices, these can be
electronically retrieved by our radiologist
 Medication if you are asthmatic or diabetic
 Method of payment (Link to Billing Policy) including Medicare, Health or Pension Card
 For Workcover claims, you will need claim number and relevant details
WHO WILL DO MY MRI?
Qualified and experienced radiographers will always be present during your procedure. Our onsite
radiologist will plan and supervise each MRI procedure.
©Alfred Health Solutions 2011
Patient Information- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING MY MRI?
You will be asked to lie down on the MRI table and one of our radiographer staff will
position you, to ensure the best quality pictures are possible. You are always in our
radiographer’s full view and there is a microphone and buzzer attached to the machine,
so you are always able to communicate with them during the test.
Although the exact procedure may vary depending on the area of your body
being scanned the following usually applies:
• You will need to complete a safety form before entry into the MRI suite.
• You will be asked to change into a gown and remove all metal jewellery.
• A surface coil will be positioned over the area to be studied.
• You will be asked to lie on the table which moves into position prior to
scanning.
The MRI scanner can be quite noisy during the scan. For this reason we give you a
set of headphones to listen to music while you have your scan (except for head
scans, where we can only give ear plugs). If you would like to bring in your own CD
or iPod, that is fine.
An injection of contrast may be required however this is a different contrast than
used for CT procedures. It is usually a ‘gadolinium’ contrast and is usually not an
iodine-based contrast.
Our staff will discuss this further with you should it be necessary for your procedure
©Alfred Health Solutions 2011