How can I make my breast MRI more comfortable?

Padding the Device
The MRI table is a hard, medical table that offers very little padding or comfort, but allows the MRI technician to take accurate images. To help keep you comfortable, your MRI technician may use a variety of foam blocks, pillows, and blankets to help relieve pressure and make you more comfortable.


Can you be sedated for a breast MRI?

You may be given a mild sedative. A dye (contrast agent) may be injected through an intravenous (IV) line in your arm to make the tissues or blood vessels on the MRI pictures easier to see. The MRI machine has a large, central opening. During the breast MRI , you lie facedown on a padded scanning table.

How are you positioned for a breast MRI?

For a breast MRI, the woman usually lies face down, with her breasts positioned through openings in the table. In order to check breast positioning, the technologist watches the MRI through a window while monitoring for any potential movement.


What not to do before breast MRI?

Things to Leave at Home or Take Out Before the Procedure
  • Jewelry, watches, credit cards and hearing aids, all of which can be damaged.
  • Pins, hairpins, metal zippers and similar metallic items, which can distort MRI images.
  • Removable dental work.
  • Pens, pocket knives and eyeglasses.
  • Body piercings.


Is breast MRI uncomfortable?

A breast MRI is not painful. But if you receive an IV, the needle injection can be uncomfortable. The saline solution in the IV may cause a cool feeling at the injection site. You will need to lie still for most of the scan, which could be tiring.


Breast MRI | Inside Look to Help You PREPARE for Your Scan



How long does a breast MRI take?

It's important to stay very still while the test is being done, which helps ensure the images will be of good quality. Each set of images usually takes a few minutes, and the whole test usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

What kind of bra should I wear for an MRI?

For women, if possible, do not wear an underwire bra (the metal can throw off the magnetic field). Sports bras are usually good and we have hospital gowns to change into if necessary. The clasps on the back of a regular bra are not a problem, but avoid wearing bras that have metal parts on the straps.

Is breast MRI claustrophobic?

Background. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool, but it can be difficult to perform in those with claustrophobia as it requires being enclosed in a noisy cylindrical space. Being in the prone position is essential to spread breast tissue.


Can you leave your bra on for an MRI?

It's important that patients remove all clothing prior to their MRI exam. We ask patients to remove: All outer clothing, including shoes. Bras or any undergarment that could have metal in it.

What happens if you panic during an MRI?

When not properly accommodated during an MRI, claustrophobic patients may experience panic attacks, which can bring on increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, chills, sweating, and other distressing symptoms.

How do you get through an MRI if you are claustrophobic?

Getting Through an MRI When You Have Claustrophobia
  1. 1-Ask questions beforehand. The more educated and informed you are on the specifics of the test, the less likely you are to be surprised by something. ...
  2. 2-Listen to music. ...
  3. 3-Cover your eyes. ...
  4. 4-Breathe and meditate. ...
  5. 5-Ask for a blanket. ...
  6. 6-Stretch beforehand. ...
  7. 7-Take medication.


Do you go in feet first for a breast MRI?

Patients are put into the machine feet first and positioned so that their chest is in the center of the bore. Your head does go inside the machine but is very close to the outside opening.

What do they give you to calm you down for MRI?

Versed (generically known as midazolam) and fentanyl are two medications commonly used in conjunction to alleviate pain, aid relaxation, and reduce a patient's memory of the procedure.

What do they give you to calm you before MRI?

Propofol will be given through an I.V. to induce sleep. This medication has a short duration of action and a rapid recovery time and is administered to make sure you remain asleep during the entire MRI study.


How can I reduce my anxiety during an MRI?

If you're nervous for your scan, here are a few ways you can feel a bit more comfortable during your MRI.
  1. Bring someone you love. Bringing someone you care for such as a friend, spouse or family member, can make you feel comfortable. ...
  2. Listen to feel-good music. ...
  3. Take deep breaths. ...
  4. Close your eyes. ...
  5. Talk to the technician.


Can a breast MRI be done in an open MRI?

MRI Group performs all breast MRI's on our Open Wide Bore system. This magnet is much larger around and is much shorter than most other high-field magnets. There are even running lights on the inside of the machine and we provide music to help you relax.

What's the best drug for claustrophobia in a MRI?

For patients who may experience claustrophobia during an MRI scan and require prophylaxis, the University of Wisconsin Department of Radiology suggests the use of Lorazepam (Ativan, Temesta), a short-to-intermediate duration benzodiazepine.


What organs show up on breast MRI?

Many mediastinal lesions, such as mediastinal lymph nodes, vascular abnormalities (e.g., aneurysms) and normal structures (e.g., pericardial recess, pericardial fat pad) can be observed on breast MRI. Normal structures can be mistaken as mediastinal mass as we obtain breast MRI with the patient in a prone position.

Can you wear deodorant for MRI?

Since the MRI machines are magnets, it is best to not apply deodorants, antiperspirants, perfumes, or body lotions before the examination. These items contain metals that might interfere with the magnetic field inside the MRI machine and cause you to have distorted images and wrong results.

Why can't I drink water before an MRI?

If You Have an Overactive Bladder

This feeling of urgency can make it harder to hold urine in. While you may still experience this urgency to a degree, not drinking for several hours before your procedure can make you less likely to experience incontinence during the scan.


Can I wear a sock with an MRI?

Various clothing items such as athletic wear (e.g., yoga pants, shirts, etc.), socks, braces, and others may contain metallic threads or metal-based anti-bacterial compounds that may pose a hazard. These items can heat up and burn the patient during an MRI.

How soon after a breast MRI will I get results?

Results. The radiologist may discuss the results of the MRI with you right after the test. Complete results are usually available to your doctor in 1 to 2 days. An MRI scan can sometimes find a problem in a breast, even when the size and shape of the breast looks normal.

What does it mean when something lights up on a breast MRI?

Breast MRI requires intravenous injection of gadolinium-based contrast to evaluate the breast tissue (Fig. 13), looking at both anatomy and blood flow patterns. Normal tissue, cancers, and benign (noncancerous) findings can enhance (light up) on MRI.


What is a fast breast MRI?

The Fast Breast MRI is a low cost, self-pay supplemental study for women with dense breast tissue who want a screening that is more sensitive to breast cancer than mammography. The Fast Breast MRI may detect cancers not visible on a mammogram. However, it is not intended to replace mammography.