Approximately 30 million people get an MRI every year. Even still, we know that questions surround the most routine procedures — and we want to answer them all.
Our team at Somers Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine knows that being fully informed is key to feeling confident in your health care. Here, we walk through the basics of preparing for your MRI, so you know what to expect.
MRIs are among the safest imaging technologies available, but they may require you to face up to some fears. During your MRI, you lie in an enclosed tube-shaped machine, sometimes for upwards of an hour. For this reason, we encourage you to disclose any concerns you have about being in small spaces with us before your appointment, so we can make a plan to ease your anxieties.
The powerful magnets used in MRI can and will be attracted to any presence of metal in your body. Even if the metal isn’t attracted to the magnet, it may distort the image. Make sure you tell us about all possible metals in your body, including:
Dark inks used in tattoos and permanent makeup may also contain some metal.
It’s also important that you let us know if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding or if you have a health condition that affects your kidney or liver. We may make adjustments to your MRI or suggest another imaging technology altogether.
Unless we tell you otherwise, feel free to eat and drink normally and continue to take your prescription medications.
We also need you to remove all the metal outside of your body. That means you shouldn’t bring the following items with you to your appointment:
If you bring any items with you, you leave them in a safe place. We have you change into a gown to make sure nothing that will disrupt the images sneaks through.
Want more information about MRIs? Don’t hesitate to reach out online or over the phone to schedule an appointment at any one of our five conveniently located offices.
