Coping with MRI

**that dude who did that thing** · 02-13-2014, 02:32 PM

Some of you guys must have been through an MRI, right? My wife needs one to diagnose hip issues she is having. But she is also somewhat claustrophobic. She tried to get this done once, but ended up bailing out. They offered her a sedative, but said it would have to be a different day (this scan involved an injected dye, and they said the dye would dissipate by the time the sedative took effect). So, I'm tryign to get her to reschedule, take whatever they want to give her, and go for it. But thought some of you might hvae suggestions for how to deal with it.

(and, no, an "open MRI" is not an option, since the only joint in town that owns one of those, does not do the particular type of imaging that is needed here.)

**systemoverblow'd** · 02-13-2014, 02:49 PM

Good places have headphones available. Make a playlist on a digital device that is calming and have them play that and pipe it through the headphones. Close her eyes, relax and it's done.

**jamesp** · 02-13-2014, 02:55 PM

Last time I had an MRI the machine was so fking loud I couldn't hope to drown out the noise with the music I had playing. Maybe MRI machines have changed since then?

MRI's must suck for claustrophobic people, no doubt sedatives are the only way for some.

**systemoverblow'd** · 02-13-2014, 03:03 PM

Have her put a crazy Drum and Bass or dubstep track on there and pretend the machine is part of the song. LOL.

Yeah, they are loud as fuck, but anything to help? I still say a little music is better than anything and close the eyes. I'm fine in them, but I could see how they would suck with others. Frankly, I get more anxious on sedatives so that would probably freak me out more unless it was something heavy like morphine.

**that dude who did that thing** · 02-13-2014, 03:07 PM

No, they haven't changed, still loud as hell.

Do they ever use nitrous oxide? I use it for the dentist for anything painful or complex, not because I can't deal with the pain, but because of the time compression effects it has for me. Feels like it's two minutes later and the dentist is telling me he's all done. And those two minutes were usually spent thinking about something highly complex like how cool the "color" white is.

**4matic** · 02-13-2014, 03:09 PM

Blindfold

**mtnjam** · 02-13-2014, 03:14 PM

Claustrophobia is an issue with MR's. The noise is from the signal change on the magnet and the RF being used in that sequence.

My best suggestion would be to talk to the schedulers and nurses at the scheduled location (IMI?) to see what they can do for sedation. Sometimes concious sedation is necessary (versed and fentanyl) to get a patient through the study, other times Xanax is all that is needed. Sleep deprivation seems to also help. Rarely do they "snow" a patient for an MR. Nitrous is used once and a while for deep surgical sedation to get the patient down, along with a cocktail of other verseds and fentanyl's, then they move onto the aerosol's (isoflurane) for intubated sedation.

A good MRI technologist will be able to manage a patients claustrophobia, usually. Make sure she is comfortable first and use distractions (talking to patient from control room to inform of remainder of time of study, warm blankets, etc.) to get her mind off the bore of the magnet.

Agreed, do not do Open MRI as their resolution is better now, but still limited.

spook · 02-13-2014, 03:15 PM

just tell her when she's dead it's forever

**Mazderati** · 02-13-2014, 03:18 PM

3T systems have the ability to reduce total time in the MRI as compared to 1.5T systems.

**Tye 1on** · 02-13-2014, 03:28 PM

Never had one, never stayed at a Holiday Inn, but is drinking an option? I know if it was me a bottle of red beforehand would mellow things out a lot...

**farmer** · 02-13-2014, 03:35 PM

Work a 12 hr shift, then drive 13 hrs all night before a 9:00 am appointment. I layed down, heard a thump or two and then the tech was waking me up.

**grrrr** · 02-13-2014, 03:38 PM

The sedatives are a good idea not only for the claustrophobia, but also to reduce risk of having to restart because you twinged at the wrong moment.

**PNWbrit** · 02-13-2014, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Jamespio

Do they ever use nitrous oxide?

Good thinking.

**hutash** · 02-13-2014, 03:44 PM

Why would claustrophobia be an issue for a hip MRI?

When I had my knee done I went in feet first into the gantry, I assume hip would be the same and she wouldn't need to go further then the waist.

That said if she has that much problem, just take the drugs offered.

No nitrous oxide in the room because you can't have metal anesthetic machine near the MRI machine. If she is really bad she can be knocked out with propofol, I heard Micheal Jackson's MD is available.

**Art Shirk** · 02-13-2014, 03:53 PM

They just suck, and she will basically have to harden the fuck up for 40 minutes. Loud music is the key, as others have said. They will likely have the mirror contraption allowing her to see outside the tube, but that thing just kept reminding me that I needed a series of mirrors to barely see my feet.

During my last MRI, I swear the tech was pumping in music from his own shitty band hoping one day Rick Rubin would need his cabeza scanned. It was hell on Earth.

**gretch6364** · 02-13-2014, 04:01 PM

Smoke weed

**mtnjam** · 02-13-2014, 04:02 PM

They do occassionally use anesthesia machines near MR's, however all the instruments and cylinders are non ferrous.

**mtnjam** · 02-13-2014, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Smoke weed

that'd work too...can't bust you because you smell like it. Patient/tech/physician confidentiality

**PNWbrit** · 02-13-2014, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by mtnjam

non ferrous.

Hopefully they have a better understanding of how magnets work than you?

**hutash** · 02-13-2014, 04:11 PM

Magnets, how do they work?

**mtnjam** · 02-13-2014, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Hopefully they have a better understanding of how magnets work than you?

and you do? All I'm saying is that most cylinders are made of some sort of iron alloy, thus making it magnetic. Non magnetic metals (titanium, etc.) are somewhat OK.

**PNWbrit** · 02-13-2014, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by mtnjam

and you do?

Got change for some...... Nickel.

**mtnjam** · 02-13-2014, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Got change for some...... Nickel.

seriously, is that really what the MR magnets are made from? I know that Iron, Cobalt and nickel are magnetic, but are the MR's made with an alloy of nickel?

I have a pretty damn good understanding of scintillation scanners, but clearly not MR's

**PNWbrit** · 02-13-2014, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by mtnjam

seriously, is that really what the MR magnets are made from?

I have no idea,

I was simply pointing out that you don't seem to know what

non ferrous.

means.

.

**that dude who did that thing** · 02-13-2014, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by hutash

Why would claustrophobia be an issue for a hip MRI?

When I had my knee done I went in feet first into the gantry, I assume hip would be the same and she wouldn't need to go further then the waist.

They also want to image the SI joint, and there are some other considerations I don't fully understand (hey, I'm a fuckin lawyer because science was never my strong suit) and they need to put her in farther than she's comfortable with.

Originally Posted by gretch6364

Smoke weed

Affects everyone differently. Last thing I'd want to see is her go on a "manic" high right before we try to stuff her in a tube.