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MRI HELP!?

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Hello,

I am due to have an MRI on the 30th of March but I am nervous as my GP and Vascular surgeon said I couldnt have one when they wanted me to have one for my foot last year! Now I need to have one on my lower back due to Sciatica and I am now being told that I can have one despite the metal in my body! Help what do I do?! I have tried contacting the MRI department numerous of times but they never seem to be there :(
 
catherinecherub said:
Hi Nicola,

The radiographer should know your history but make sure you tell him/her about where the metal is in your body.

They usually do an x-ray first to make sure where the metal is and if it will affect your scan.

This article explains it.

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/mri-scan
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Okay then thank you! I am just worried and confused because one person is telling me one thing and another person another but I will have a read! Would they do the x ray on the day?
 
Yes, the x-ray would be done on the same day. I am sure you have had one before, it only takes a few minutes.
 
The radiographer will need to know how long ago the metal was put in and exactly where it is. Most radiology departments will try to do both the X-ray and MRI on the same day but if it's something that definitely needs to be done keep trying to contact them. Have you had your appointment yet, again most MRI departments will send out a questionnaire as well to help them ensure that it safe for you to have the scan.



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JANROU said:
The radiographer will need to know how long ago the metal was put in and exactly where it is. Most radiology departments will try to do both the X-ray and MRI on the same day but if it's something that definitely needs to be done keep trying to contact them. Have you had your appointment yet, again most MRI departments will send out a questionnaire as well to help them ensure that it safe for you to have the scan.



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They have sent me out a questionnaire to take with me on the day, I will have ago at ringing them again tomorrow I think. Thank you
 
I expect the questions are pretty standard so if you have any query I could try to answer if you want to pm me. I'm a radiographer and have worked in MRI although now in CT


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I was sent for an mri and when the letter came i rang them as i have a gun pellet in my head/face,
I was told they wouldnt risk it with me, whether that was because of it being in my head i dont know but i always have to have ct scans now:)
 
totsy said:
I was sent for an mri and when the letter came i rang them as i have a gun pellet in my head/face,
I was told they wouldnt risk it with me, whether that was because of it being in my head i dont know but i always have to have ct scans now:)
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Oh my! how did that happen if you dont mind me asking!? but yes I read about not being allowed to do that!
 
To cut a long story short, a neighbour was getting bullied she was 10 i was 12 so said i would take her to school, walking up the street i got an almighty pain in my face ,felt like i had been hit with a brick,blood was pouring everywhere, got to hospital as hole was nr my eye and couldnt see well, they said i had been shot after an xray, luckily the girl saw who had done it, it was a boy a yr older than me and was firing at a big padlock and i had walked past his house just at the same time xx
 
Hi Nicola

The main concern is whether the metal in your body is magnetic or not as the MRI scanner has a huge magnet inside it that could pull the metal from your body. This is why you are asked to remove jewellery, watches etc beforehand. People with pacemakers cannot have MRI.

As others have said, the radiographer will tell you for sure as they will err on side of caution and not perform the scan if there is any doubt.
 
totsy said:
To cut a long story short, a neighbour was getting bullied she was 10 i was 12 so said i would take her to school, walking up the street i got an almighty pain in my face ,felt like i had been hit with a brick,blood was pouring everywhere, got to hospital as hole was nr my eye and couldnt see well, they said i had been shot after an xray, luckily the girl saw who had done it, it was a boy a yr older than me and was firing at a big padlock and i had walked past his house just at the same time xx
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Oh my that's crazy!! Atleast you are okay!!
 
collectingrocks said:
Hi Nicola

The main concern is whether the metal in your body is magnetic or not as the MRI scanner has a huge magnet inside it that could pull the metal from your body. This is why you are asked to remove jewellery, watches etc beforehand. People with pacemakers cannot have MRI.

As others have said, the radiographer will tell you for sure as they will err on side of caution and not perform the scan if there is any doubt.
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Thats true! I guess I will have to wait and find out!
 
NocolEAnnne,
Just make sure you tell them before you go in it, it is not a problem when they know about it, the only exception where they cannot do the MRI scan is if you have metal in your eye. Because of the magnets in the scanner it would damage the eye badly. I have a huge chunk of metal work in my spine and have had many cat scans and MRI scans with it in there. Never ever been a problem, they use titanium inside the body which the magnets don't affect. My husband got metal in his eye at work, bog standard metal. We forgot about it as it was removed, but there was a trace still, just as he was about to go in it, I remembered, he was taken out straightaway in a hurry. Xray end and there was the tiniest bit still in there. No MRI on his head ever. But body wize totally fine to go in. Word of advice if it is your first scan. You get given a buzzer to hold, you want out press it, you get taken out straight away. I always close my eyes as I go in, and keep them closed the entire time, I usually fall asleep. My biggest fear was that when the table moved up, I would get squashed if it broke and kept going up, impossible because the table can only lift so far. You cannot get stuck in there either,it can be hand pulled out from either end. None of this do they think to tell the terrified person going in it. The banging noise is just the thumping of the magnets in the machine. Ask for head phones. And music to drown it out. I am claustrophobic but with these measures am fine with it.
Muffy
 
Hi, I had an MRI last week, I have a hip replacement and also a piercing that I couldn't take out, everything was fine and I had my scan.
 
muffy1 said:
NocolEAnnne,
Just make sure you tell them before you go in it, it is not a problem when they know about it, the only exception where they cannot do the MRI scan is if you have metal in your eye. Because of the magnets in the scanner it would damage the eye badly. I have a huge chunk of metal work in my spine and have had many cat scans and MRI scans with it in there. Never ever been a problem, they use titanium inside the body which the magnets don't affect. My husband got metal in his eye at work, bog standard metal. We forgot about it as it was removed, but there was a trace still, just as he was about to go in it, I remembered, he was taken out straightaway in a hurry. Xray end and there was the tiniest bit still in there. No MRI on his head ever. But body wize totally fine to go in. Word of advice if it is your first scan. You get given a buzzer to hold, you want out press it, you get taken out straight away. I always close my eyes as I go in, and keep them closed the entire time, I usually fall asleep. My biggest fear was that when the table moved up, I would get squashed if it broke and kept going up, impossible because the table can only lift so far. You cannot get stuck in there either,it can be hand pulled out from either end. None of this do they think to tell the terrified person going in it. The banging noise is just the thumping of the magnets in the machine. Ask for head phones. And music to drown it out. I am claustrophobic but with these measures am fine with it.
Muffy
Click to expand...
Been there Muffy
MRI scans, for me, are not pleasant as I have a tendency towards claustrophobia but with controlled breathing, keeping my eyes closed it is just bearable.



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