What should you know about closed MRI scanners?

The opening surrounds more of the body than an open MRI system, which can support detailed imaging but may feel confined. The scan is noisy, and staying still helps produce clear pictures. MRI does not use X-rays.

You lie on a moving table that slides into the bore of the scanner. A coil may be placed around the body area being examined. The machine makes repeated knocking or buzzing sounds while each image sequence is collected, so the team provides hearing protection and speaks with you through an intercom.

Some examinations use an injected contrast agent to make certain tissues or blood vessels easier to distinguish. Contrast is not required for every MRI. The radiology team decides whether it is useful after considering the clinical question and relevant health information.

Complete the MRI safety checklist carefully. Tell staff about any implanted device, operation, metal fragment, pregnancy or possible pregnancy, kidney problem, previous contrast reaction, or difficulty lying flat. Bring implant details if you have them; staff must confirm whether an item is suitable for the scanner environment.

Remove jewellery and other metal when directed. If enclosed spaces worry you, contact the imaging centre before the appointment. They can explain positioning, communication, breaks, and whether additional support or prescribed medicine may be appropriate. Arrange transport if you are told that a sedating medicine will be used.

Use the call device immediately during the scan if you feel burning, unusual heating, sharp pain, severe breathlessness, or panic that you cannot manage. The radiographer can stop the sequence and assess what is happening.

After contrast, obtain urgent medical help for trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, fainting, or a rapidly worsening widespread rash. For milder symptoms around an injection site, such as increasing pain or swelling, contact the imaging service promptly for advice.

Ask which body area will be inside the bore, whether contrast is planned, how implant safety will be checked, and what options are available if you are claustrophobic. You can also ask how the result will reach the clinician who requested the examination and when to expect follow-up.