MRI I want to contribute what it’s like as I had trouble finding out

I was diagnosed 3 Apr and have had my CT, bone and MRI scans done so would add the following which might be helpful.

The CT scan was the best one, in an ultra new outside unit that looked like something from Star Trek. It was easy, you had to hold your breath for certain bits, but the machine talks to you and you have a timer counting down so u are reassured all the way thru.  Also quiet. The weird thing was looking back as I left and seeing a picture of my skull n neck on the screen.

i did find tho that the contrast dyes they pump in for the CT and MRI gave me a wicked migraine the next day.  I will be prepared next time.

The MRI was noisy but not as bad as I thought.  I only had a head scan done so I had the cage over the face, ear plugs and two foam inserts over the ears. It the cage is to keep u still and is not super close.  They also had a little mirror so I could see my feet, srangely it did help. The team were v nice and talked me thru as they went, Ie how many minutes for the next bit etc.  It took 30mins for the head, I wore what I thought was a comfy skirt, but then once lying down it rode up and irritated me for the whole time! Make sure u are really comfy before they start.  I had a trainee do my dye injection v sweet and good actually once he got the tourniquet tight enough.

if I am honest the worse one for me was the bone scan.  I didn’t realise it would be so close to my face, literally a few cm and move sooo slowly down my body. Honestly I was a complete wimp about it, I prayed a lot during that one, and they had to redo a bit I think because I was hyperventilating and the image was blurry!  I guess I will hv another one at some point but at least now I know to expect it is close but it is ok!

i hope this helps a bit.  I found out yesterday I am on priority list and having surgery on 30th, 6cm invasive lobular cancer so that is a relief that it will be gone soon.

all the best.

I hope your operation goes well. Thanks for adding  to my info.

Hi, just getting back to you re MRI scans.  I generally found these fine with the biggest challenge being my hospitals inability to be able to use the port that I had to deliver the contrast so having to repeatedly stab me in a vain (ha!) effort to find those elusive veins...however that's another story.

Re your issues, I'd certainly ask re the headphones though would be surprised if they would let you as they couldn't guarantee they would be metal free. Though I don't mind the noise its certainly not one of the best so I took into my own CDs (their choice of music was at best pants), I chose the loudest most banging tunes that I could from my collection and asked them to turn up the volume as much as they could (it still wasn't very loud but I guess health &safety prevents them from deafening us eh?).  I also refused the ear plugs (health & safety gone mad) but given your hearing probably best you don't do this.

I also found the radiologists, with the exception of one lady who wasn't there very much, to be quite a sombre, uncaring and unfriendly bunch compared to elsewhere in the hospital - felt like I was very much on a conveyor belt.

I do love how, despite the fact they know there's lots of noise from all angles, they don't quite appreciate that you can't really hear what they're saying!  I just shouted "WHAT" a lot...think they got to the stage where they'd do anything to get rid of me in a speedy fashion.

The CT scans that I have had were all much quieter, more of a swishing sound than the building site noises you get from the MRI.

It may be worth giving your feedback to the hospital.  I did, several times, regarding various issues I came across at my hospital, mainly to help those after me.  Letters to the CEO have the biggest impact I find, as do reviews of their hospital.

Sam

Thanks for your imput Sam.

 I also have veins that are elusive and was left with a big bruise from them trying to inject the dye into one - they had not put any pressure on the place when taking the needle out to try the other arm The same happened with the biopsy that the nurse let go of putting pressure on to go round to my other side, so I had a big bruise on my breast.

My mri wasn' tlike a building site noise at all-mainly very loud beeping at different rates. Do they differ?

Do you know if ct scans are ok to be used instead of mri scans? I was told if I really coudn't bear the mri they would do a ct - but I had read they give less clear pictures.

I am awaiting the results now.

How are you now?

Vibraphone

I hate MRI scans and after my first had a full blown panic attack.

When i went for my second i explained this to them and they were fantastic, talked to me more during the whole thing and really put me at ease.

Because i had problems with the cannula the first time (4 attempts) i rung before hand and told them i was scared, in fact i stood in the changing room sobbing, but from the tips i'd got from the chemo nurses i was fine.

I've been told if you drink plenty and make sure your hands are warm then your veins are better for cannulas (i got some really funny looks wearing mittens in the summer) 

CT scan is nothing like an MRI you don't go into a tunnel, more like lay in a polo. You aren't in for very long and they aren't noisey. If you want to know what they're like have a look on You Tube, or look on your hospital website.  My hospital has photographs of the rooms and machines.