MRI - what should I expect?

[Kevlar]

I should have asked this at the dr. office, but: Because a stress fracture is not healing after 8 months, my dr. has prescribed an MRI. Will they just do my foot or will I have to go completely into the machine?
Seems like stress fractures are really popular on this board! It makes me sad that I won't be able to train for this year's Carlsbad Half Marathon, but its not the Olympics and there is always next year. I keep waiting for the day that my foot doesn't hurt.
K

[suebear37]

I just had one last week in order to diagnose my partially torn achilles tendon, so the experience is very fresh in my mind!

I was only in the tube about chest deep. They moved the table a couple of times during the procedure but it wasn't more than a couple of inches. The whole process took about 45 minutes. I was told I could bring a CD to listen to, which I did. If you can do this, I'd recommend it. They put the headphones on & I just hung out & listened to the music. Actually, I almost fell asleep a couple of times! The banging was loud but the headphones definitely helped.

It was really no big deal at all.

Good luck! :)

[KimK]

As Sue said, they're no big deal. I've had several where I've been all the way in the tube. It IS a small area, so I just kept my eyes closed. I would also use a CD or iPod to help pass the time. The technicians are right there and can hear you if you need assistance or are feeling claustrophobic. Good luck!

[ChristyMarie]

I just had one on my knee - I was in about waist deep. Definitely bring a CD - it really helped the time go by.

I couldn't fall asleep - the banging of the machine was too loud.

Wear comfy clothes with no metal - think stretchy workout clothes - and you won't have to change. I also had socks and was glad because it was chili in there.

[Laura]

Just FYI, if they are injecting the area to be looked with dye, expect to be sore and stiff at the injection site for a good 2-3 days. They numb you up for the injection, but the dye itself will make you uncomfortable (kind of like a tetanus shot) for a few days.

[Kevlar]

Just returned from the mri. It wasn't bad at all, just as everyone said, but I really was surprised by how loud it was. Its very spaceship-like.
They gave me a heated blanket and headphones, so I was pretty comfortable. It was over sooner than I expected. I am so amazed by technology.
Next Monday I will have the results. Tomorrow I am off to Dallas for mom-daughter time, can't wait. :)
K

[suebear37]

Glad to hear the experience was ok! And I hope you get good news next week!

[JackieO]

A late joiner to this thread, but glad to hear your experience was ok. Hope the results are even better.

I had one last year because of some diagnosed hearing loss, and even though they just needed my head, I was inserted into the tube down to my thighs. (I guess being 5'2" might have had something to do with it.) Anyway, my ENT prescribed a valium, and I listened to classical music all the while the machine did its "boom-chucky-boom-chucky" thing. Weird, but I didn't care. :D

For anyone else looking at this thread, don't be afraid to ask for calming meds!

[Beth]

I've had a couple on my head and neck, so I was fully in the tube. I think you've gotten a pretty good desrcription of what it's like -- right down to the click, click, click, boom chucky thing. The one thing I wanted to add was that I had one with contrast and I did not have any soreness or problems with the injection. I had been worried about it because I had a CT scan with contrast that was pretty rough. The MRI was no big deal at all.

Hope they find what they need to get that foot feeling better quickly.

[ljt2r]

I've had a couple on my head and neck, so I was fully in the tube. I think you've gotten a pretty good desrcription of what it's like -- right down to the click, click, click, boom chucky thing. The one thing I wanted to add was that I had one with contrast and I did not have any soreness or problems with the injection. I had been worried about it because I had a CT scan with contrast that was pretty rough. The MRI was no big deal at all.

Hope they find what they need to get that foot feeling better quickly.

I have had many brain MRIs, all with contrast, and have never had a problem (as long as I had a decent tech), nor have they ever needed to numb the area.

In case anyone ever needs this thread in the future though I wanted to share the benefit of my experience:

-An MRI in an outpatient center can be billed VERY differently from one in a hospital--the hospital one could qualify as a hospital visit, where you need to pay a deductible (which will be substantial with an MRI0 vs the other which counts as a doctor's visit. Asinine and infuriating I know, but I also check ahead now and make sure it is scheduled somewhere it will not cost me anything.

-Not all MRI machines are created equal! Some of the really ancient ones do not even have a radio, let alone a cd player. Ask ahead--if you believe you will be stressed and there is no music to distract you, either ask for the meds or (as in my case) if you cannot have meds, insist on either finding a better, newer machine or letting someone come in with you (I did this once--best MRI of my life, I fell asleep, but poor DH was REALLY uncomfortable! :D He just stood there with his hand on my leg, talking to me. I couldn't answer so he did not even know I fell asleep. :o :p). Along these same lines, if you are extremely claustrophobic, ask for an "open mri." I am not claustrophobic and frankly the difference did not do anything for me but my dad will only do open ones.

Anyway, there's my 2 cents. I am off to have another MRI in 1.5 weeks--I am glad this thread came up, I have new insurance and I need to make sure it will be billed correctly. :)

[slawrence]

ljt2r-good point about the MRI centers vs hospitals. I work for an imaging company (we have 3-soon to be 5 centers in the Denver area plus seven more elsewhere). Patients don't ever hear that story from their docs re: the hospital charges, etc. Thank you!

On the idea of the 'open' MRI though....we have both in our facility. The OPEN (unless it is brand new 'high field open') won't give you the good quality images that you can get with the regular 'tube' type. Plus, the Open typically take longer to get the images. Please keep that in mind for future scans. Our staff is good about working w/ the patients to calm them and can often get them done in the regular high field MR. The extremely obese patients usually will need the Open. That said, the newer OPEN scanners do a pretty good job so if you need one on an OPEN, try to locate one with the new technology. (Sigh...I wish ours was.) And medication is a possible route to help the anxiety in the high field. But if you have a choice, try the high field. We have scheduled a patient in the high field and blocked the same time in the Open just in case...see if your facility would do that for you (it is great customer service). :)

Sue

[Beth]

I thought I should clarify about my CT scan in case anyone ses that and gets worried. The reason it was a bit rough was that they had to move me a lot to try to get the contrast through the bad spots in my neck (further prof there was a problem) and that caused some trauma to my neck that lasted weeks. In addition, I felt fine when I came out of the sedation but started getting sick as soon as I trird to drink something. I wasn't a happy camper, but I think a lot of it had to do with how much I hurt for so long after -- and that was my injury aggrevated by the movement, not the test itself.