An MRI is one of the safest investigations in medicine — no radiation, no incision, nothing injected in the majority of studies. What it does need is a small amount of preparation, and the reason is simple: the machine is a very powerful magnet that never switches off.
The day before
- Confirm with the centre whether your study is plain or contrast-enhanced. Contrast studies need a four-hour fast; plain studies do not.
- Collect your previous films, discs and reports. Comparison with an older study frequently changes the interpretation.
- If you take medication for diabetes or blood pressure, ask whether the fasting window affects your dose.
What to leave at home
Anything metallic. Jewellery, watches, hairpins, belts with buckles, coins, credit cards and hearing aids all need to come off. Wearing simple cotton clothing without zips or metal fasteners saves you changing into a gown.
Tell us about implants — every time
This is the one non-negotiable. Pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, insulin pumps, neurostimulators and retained metal fragments from an old injury all matter. Many modern implants are MR-conditional and perfectly safe under specific settings, but we can only apply those settings if we know the device is there. Bring the implant card if you have one.
During the scan
You will lie still on a moving table and hear a series of loud knocking sounds as each sequence runs. Earplugs or headphones are provided, and our quiet protocols reduce that noise considerably. A typical study runs fifteen to forty-five minutes. You will be handed a call bell and the technologist can see and hear you throughout.
If you are claustrophobic
Say so when you book rather than on the day. Knowing in advance lets us schedule a longer slot, plan a feet-first position where the anatomy allows, and let a family member stay in the room with you. Sedation is available for genuinely severe cases but is rarely necessary once the scan is properly explained.
Afterwards
There is no recovery period for a plain MRI — you can drive, eat and return to work immediately. If contrast was used, drink water through the day to help clear it. Routine imaging reports are released within one hour at Snap Diagnostics.