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ST. PETER’S HEALTH PARTNERS
contrast. If you receive a contrast agent,
What Happens After My Cardiac MRI?
we will monitor you closely. Reactions to
If a sedative was administered or your
MRI contrast are extremely rare and the
normal medication dosages were increased
vast majority of reactions are mild. If you
before the exam, you will need to make
have severe kidney disease, you may not
transportation arrangements to and from
be able to have MRI contrast and the
the hospital. Before leaving, please discuss
exam may be performed without it
any concerns that you may have with your
if appropriate.
physician or our technologist. Be sure to
Who is Not a Candidate
For an MRI Exam?
Patients with the following conditions
should avoid an MRI exam:
• Cardiac pacemaker
CARDIAC
MRI
assess your own comfort level before
returning to your normal routine.
A Guide for
Patients
Patients are able to resume daily activities
and return to work or school following a
cardiac MRI exam.
• Intracranial aneurysm clip
• Cochlear or ear implant
For More Information
• Electronic or magnetically activated
If you need additional information,
implant or stimulator
• Metal fragments in the eyes or near
a vital organ
• Prosthesis or artificial limb
• Pregnant
please talk with your physician
or healthcare provider.
For questions about your appointment,
call our scheduling department at
(518) 525-1401.
Not all of the above circumstances will
preclude a patient from having an MRI
exam. Our team of professionals will work
with you to determine your suitability for
the exam.
315 South Manning Boulevard
Albany, New York 12208
(518) 525-1401
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What is Cardiac MRI?
How Will a Cardiac MRI
Help with Your Diagnosis?
What Can I Expect From a Cardiac MRI?
appropriate. This is very important for
For most individuals, no special preparation
obtaining high-quality images. The tech-
A cardiac MRI is a non-invasive
You have been referred for a cardiac MRI be-
is required. If you are taking medications, you
nologist will practice this with you prior to
cause your physician needs additional infor-
should continue to do so - unless directed
starting the exam, so you will know exactly
mation to make an accurate diagnosis. Very
otherwise by your physician. If you are taking
what to expect. It is extremely import-
often, the results of an MRI will enable your
a diuretic or “water pill” and are scheduled for
ant that you remain very still throughout
physician to make informed decisions about
many medical conditions. It involves
a morning MRI exam, consider taking your
treatment options.
the test, as any movement will affect the
diuretic after your scan is complete.
image quality. In fact, movement during a
the use of magnetism, radio waves,
Why is Cardiac MRI Performed?
MRI exams of the heart do require patients
There are several reasons why a cardiac MRI
abstain from coffee, tea, nicotine or other
medical test that assists physicians
in the diagnosis and treatment of
and a computer to produce images
of the heart and major vessels. It is a
painless imaging exam that does not
involve X-ray radiation, often limiting
the need for more invasive testing.
is performed:
• To evaluate the current functioning of
the heart, valves, and major vessels and
their relation to the surrounding structures
• To find and evaluate the effects of
coronary artery disease (for example,
the MRI may indicate limited blood flow to the heart muscle and scarring within An MRI is simple, easy and safe. Your car-
the heart muscle following a heart attack)
diac MRI scan is individualized and will be
• To evaluate the cause of heart failure and tailored to your specific condition, usually
lasting between 30 and 90 minutes. Your
referring physician will discuss the results
with you, and provide follow-up with your
primary care doctor and other providers.
conditions that effect the heart muscle
• To plan a patient’s treatment program for cardiovascular disorders such as tumors, infections, and inflammatory conditions
• To assist the treatment team in
monitoring a patient’s condition over
a period of time
stimulants four hours prior to the test.
EKG leads will be placed on your chest because the computer must use your heartbeat
to acquire the images. You will lie on your
back on a sliding exam table that goes into
the tunnel-like machine. Our technologist
will operate the machine from an adjacent
room. He or she will talk to you through a
speaker, and will be able to see and hear you
single image acquisition may affect many
other images, requiring that a portion of
the exam be repeated. If you must suspend
the exam for any reason, including use of
the bathroom, much of the exam will likely
need to be repeated.
If you are claustrophobic or are experiencing a high level of anxiety about your
exam, please notify your physician as
they may provide you with an oral
sedative in advance.
at all times. Please tell the technologist if you
In most cases, a contrast agent will be
have a hearing problem. The MRI machine
injected through a vein in your arm to
makes loud humming and knocking noises
obtain the diagnostic information request-
while it takes pictures of your heart. Often
ed by your physician. The contrast material
when the machine is quiet, the technologist
used for an MRI exam is different than
is setting up the next set of pictures.
what is used for a CT scan. It does not
The technologist will often instruct you to
hold your breath for a short period of time,
and will ask you to breathe normally when
contain iodine, and a much smaller quantity
is administered. Do not be concerned
about whether or not you will receive