What is an MRI like?

[TheVBs]

Our DD11 has to have one in a couple of weeks. No worries though!! Nothing is wrong. This is just one last follow up to the two she had when she was younger and very ill. She was sedated for those two, so won't remember them. I'd like to tell her what to expect, but I've never had or witnessed one. I know they said she'd be able to watch a movie while it's being done. Can anyone fill me in on the details so that I can prepare her? She battles anxiety and it's helpful when she knows what to expect. Thank you!

[faline]

What part of the body will undergo the MRI? The process is a little different depending on what they are looking at.

[Mgcamp]

An MRI isn't too scary. Depending on what part of the body is being imaged you either go in head first or feet first. The thing most people have an issue with is a sense of claustrophobia when they go into the magnet, this is more of a problem if they go in head first. The other thing that people notice is that when the MRI is being run it can be quite noisy. The MR Tech will likely give her ear plugs or something similar to reduce the noise. The MR Techs are usually very good and helpful and will be in voice contact with her the whole time. The other thing they do is give the patient a call button for her to hold so she can signal if she needs anything.


Hope it goes well.

[MNNHFLTX]

Just wanted to add that the noise during the procedure sounds like loud banging, like a hammer hitting metal. There is also a humming or buzzing sound in between the bangs. Fortunately the ear phones the tech will give your daughter will help muffle those sounds.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Is it an open or closed MRI? I am a little bit claustrophobic so it bothered me some when I had one even though it was open. They gave me headphones to wear and the first part was fine as long as I could hear the music, during the second part the machine made a lot of noise and drowned out the music, that's when I had a mini panic attack. Someone gave me a tip to close my eyes and keep them closed and that really helped. Still it wasn't too terrible of an experience.

[NewDVCowner]

You need to hold very still. I had an MRI on my knee a couple of years ago so went in feet first and they had strapped my leg onto something to keep my from moving. Just knowing that I couldn't move for 30+ minutes made me a little axious. I was put into the machine up to my neck and it can be claustrophobic. It's very loud, even with the ear plugs. I tried to just close my eyes and go to my happy place.

[TheVBs]

Thanks for all the responses! They're scanning her brain, so I imagine she'd go in head first. I have no idea if it's open or closed, didn't know there were different types! I know they said she could watch a movie while it was being done, so would that mean it's open? As far as I know she's not claustrophobic, but I can't say we've ever really been in a situation to test that. I really hope it goes smoothly!

[Disney4us2]

She should be fine if she is not claustrophobic. I had 2 MRI's done with my back problems. I went in head first. I will never do another one without being totally out. I was not that claustrophobic until I had the MRI's. Now I can't handle being in a confined area or surrounded by people. I even took valium on the first MRI but that didn't do a thing. The second one I didn't have anything since I didn't have someone to drive me.

It was not scary, just enclosed. Mine was not an open MRI.

[faline]

With a brain scan, she will go into the machine head first. I don't know about the movie piece - I've never been offered that option. With a brain scan, she will need to hold her head very still which likely means that will strap her head in place to be sure it is not moving around. That can be a bit disconcerting. Others have already mentioned the noise and the earplugs. If one can manage to relax during the procedure, it actually goes by pretty quickly.

[BrerGnat]

Is there an option to sedate her to make her sleep? Or, do they need her to be awake and conscious so they can check different areas of her brain while she can focus on different things?

I went through a lot of medical procedures as a child and some of them have left VERY bad memories.

I had a CT done of my head once during a very bad migraine attack, and it was pretty claustrophobic, and CT machines are quite open. I don't know how I'd handle an MRI, and I am not even bothered by enclosed spaces. The lack of being able to move would be the worst, I think.

How does your daughter feel about it?

[sixshot19]

I have an MRI done every couple of years for a check up on surgery I had 6 years ago. I have had ten or so done all on my chest. So Iam all the way in and then some.

They can be very intimidating. A big cold, sterile room with nothing, but a giant machine in it. You cant move and depending on the scan you may need to be in for awhile. And yes they are noisy.

In the hospital I go to I know they let parents in the control room and let them talk to their kids via a headset. Ask, all they can say is no. Just being able to hear your voice as well as the techs might be enough. Ask if you can see one done prior to theirs. Again all they can say is no.

Good luck. And I hope all is well.

[TinkerbellT421]

I had to have MRI in November. Mine were for the brain. I am not sure about why they would tell her she could watch a movie while they were doing it...maybe listen to one, but if her head is being scanned there is no way she would be able to watch a movie. The slightest movements can offset the results of the MRI's so it is very imperative that she stay still in the same position. Also, is it a dye MRI? Those can be rather uncomfortable. They have to extract you from the machine at a certain point in order to inject you with the dye. Then they put you back in the machine and have to make sure you have not moved while injecting you. I am extremely claustrophobic and I had an "open" MRI which was not what I would consider "open" If what I had was in "open" MRI I do not want to see a regular one. With the brain they had to put these foam objects around my head inside a cage like pocket where you head rests and the poked the foam around to make sure you do not have any room to move your head around. Then they placed another part of the cage (for lack of a better term) over the top of my head. They insert you into the machine to about your mid waist you cannot see anything but what is above you. In my case the top of the MRI machine was literally four inches away from my face. Is there anyway they could sedate her for it? I wish they had given me that option because I was in and out of panic attacks throughout the whole procedure. Mine was about an hour and a half long. Very uncomfortable just having to make sure you do not move and stay in one position for that long. But again, I am already claustrophobic so I am extremely dramatic with tight spaces.

[WishesFan13]

I had an open MRI of my neck last year and I watched tv. I had a regular open MRI of my knee years ago and with that i was still laying down the machine just wasn't a long tube but kind of a really fat hoola hoop, which I think most people who have posted had. But last year the place I went was all open mri machines and it was a huge thing that took up the whole room with a seat in the middle of it. It was weird and nothing like I've ever seen before. I sat in the seat, they placed a pillow and a sort of brace around my neck so I wouldn't move, they raised the seat a little, I watched the news and 20 minutes later I was done. For me and my neck laying down might have been more comfortable but it was really nice to be done faster and have a distraction with the tv. I know closed mri's are really loud but I don't really remember the full room one making much noise. I would call the MRI place and ask what type of machine your dd will be using. I'm not good with anxiety either and knowing what to expect can help me a lot.

[garymacd]

If you are claustrophobic and going into a closed MRI, see if you can have some serax or vallium before going into the unit. Just make certain you have a ride home.

If you are going to some place like "Joe's MRI Joint", they may not offer that.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Our DS13 is part of an International Autism study, and has had two MRIs in connection with that study, one at age 10, and another this fall at age 13, each of them lasted about an hour and were of his brain. During the first one he played a game, and the second one he watched a movie. The hardest part for him is staying still. He had to lie on his back and was "strapped" in to restrict his movements. Since he was watching things, he had goggle like things on, which I think greatly reduced his anxiety (he has anxiety disorder) because he could not "see" himself being moved into the machine itself. The loud bang of the magnets is something to be aware of, but he said he stopped noticing it after a while. I think if she is able to watch a movie (tell her to take her favourite one, my son was allowed to watch his own) she will be distracted, and her anxiety will lessen.

After the fact, his doctor e-mailed images of his brain from the MRI. A very cool keepsake for sure!

I'll be thinking good thoughts for her!

[ElenitaB]

I'm going to echo what Jenn has said. I had an MRI a few years ago of my brain and my take-away was that it was very loud, even with the earphones and such.

Two years ago, my son participated in a clinical study and also had a brain scan. At the first meeting with the researchers, they had a "practice session." At the university, they showed him the machine and the control room and only then did they proceed. He also had to play some kind of game and was in constant contact with the people in the control room. When we left, we got a print-out of a picture of his brain (proof positive that there is actually something between his ears! ).

I see that your DD is 11. Maybe you can call to see if they have any additional info for her about the type of machine and recommendations of a website for her to look at to see what will be happening.

[Niecyboo]

The thing that I noticed, that might be good to let her know is that the noise changes constantly. First it's a loud banging, then a humming, then some other weird noise. That made it very hard for me to relax. A few times it almost sounded like they were just making up noises!

[TheVBs]

Thank you for all your responses! I really appreciate it! It's great to hear that we weren't misinformed about her being able to watch a movie, although I probably would not thought to bring our own. Great tip!

They did offer the option of sedation. For her first two she was sedated because she was too small and too prone to panic attacks to trust that she would be able to hold still for the procedure. We opted not to do sedation this time because of the added risk. There's also added time and cost, and she's come so far and is such a trooper, that we think with enough advance info she'll be fine.

We've discussed it with her and have described it to the best of our ability (thanks to you guys!) and her biggest concern seems to be the noise. She's worried it will be too loud and annoying. I told her to expect loud and annoying.

I will take the suggestion of calling ahead and getting more information. This is at a university hospital and they are fantastic! I'm also anticipating getting an info sheet in the mail soon. I've already bought a prize to give her afterwards!

[DonLefNY]

I can do one as long as my head does not have to go inside. If that happens I have a panic attack. Just this week I had an MRI on a shoulder that required my head be inside the tube and it did not go well. I had to have an open MRI a few days later. Open MRI's take longer, but I can do that.

[TheVBs]

Thank you everyone!! She had her MRI last Saturday and was a total trooper! Unfortunately, the MRI with the movie viewer broke shortly before our appointment. She had a little trouble holding still, so they had to restart a couple of times. Eventually, they put something over her eyes and that did the trick!