Preparing for Your MRI

About the exam

MRIs are a common procedure and do not require many preparations. Please inform our staff if you may be pregnant or if you are claustrophobic. To help ease your mind, you may tour the facility before your appointment to become better acquainted with the scanning process.

All sites have streaming radio in the MRI suite to help you relax during your scan. A friend or family member (who has been screened appropriately) may also accompany you into the exam room during the test. You may also request a mild sedative prescription from your physician prior to your appointment and arrange for an adult to drive you home.

Interview prior to MRI

When you make an appointment, our staff will inform you how many minutes prior to your scheduled MRI you should arrive, to allow time for a brief interview with a technical staff member who will ask about your medical history. This interview process is an important safety precaution, so please be patient if we ask the same questions more than once.

Screening for conditions and devices

MRI screening questions

We ask every MRI patient medical screening and history questions prior to the exam. Please review these before your MRI so that you know what to expect.

Screening for conditions and devices

The strong magnetic field of the MRI can adversely affect some conditions or implanted prosthetic devices. Our staff screens for conditions and devices several times during the intake process, as a safety precaution. For certain tests, an injection of a contrast agent may be necessary to better visualize specific anatomical structures. If this is the case, a simple injection will be given. For some patients, a blood test may need to be ordered by your physician before the use of a contrast agent.

MRI line

If you have questions about the MRI or how to prepare for your test, please call our MRI information line at 877.700.4674.