Our scanners are fully lit, ventilated, and open at both ends. UCSF has invested in the latest MRI machines, many of which have wider openings and better lighting in the scanner tunnel. These machines greatly improve patients' comfort during the exam and also yield higher resolution so the images are clearer.
Before your MRI, you should also know that some of the MRI-claustrophobia-related stories you may have heard are likely no longer accurate. Modern MRI machines are not dark, closed off tunnels. They are well-lit, open on both sides of the tunnel, and they are wider than they once were.
Most people who have claustrophobia are able to tolerate the MRI scan in the open, upright MRI machine. This is the structure of most MRI machines that can only perform the imaging studies with the patient lying on their back on a table that is moved into the core of the magnetic field where the images are captured.
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.
Counting numbers or listening to music: Counting slowly or listening to a soothing melody can help distract you and make the time pass quickly while you are in the scanner. Talk to the Technician: In most instances, you can speak to the technician throughout most of the procedure.
Many MRI procedures don't require your head to go inside the machine at all, but if you need a head or upper spine MRI, you'll appreciate the fact our machine provides a full 12 inches of clearance between your face and the wall – relieving stress for our patients with claustrophobia.
Not intentionally. Many of our examinations require your cooperation and ability to follow commands to hold your breath to produce the images required to make a diagnosis. For those examinations, we will not allow you to fall asleep.
Keep your eyes closed or even wear a blindfold.
It's much easier in an open MRI it's wider than a standard scanner, so patients shouldn't feel any walls touching them.
An MRI scanner is a short cylinder that's open at both ends. You'll lie on a motorised bed that's moved inside the scanner. You'll enter the scanner either head first or feet first, depending on the part of your body being scanned.
Many people are fearful of MRIs because they have seen the machines before and worry about feeling trapped, especially if they suffer from claustrophobia. The traditional MRI machine is a closed machine, but open machines are becoming increasingly available.
For most procedures, the patient goes into the MRI machine head-first, and the lower part of the body remains completely outside the machine. If you are having an MRI of your foot, knee or leg, you will go into the machine feet first, and your head and upper body will remain outside the machine.
Conventional MRI machines have a donut shape with a tube that is usually about 3 feet in length. This exam causes anxiety for some people who are claustrophobic. If you know you are claustrophobic, please let our staff know at the time of scheduling. You may be given a mild sedative to help you relax during your exam.
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.
During an MRI, you should use this same method that is used in yoga classes. Take slow, deep breaths to ensure that you are breathing well. If it helps, count to 10 as you breathe in and out, and then gradually slow it down from there. Slow breathing will ensure a calm and relaxed state of mind.
An open-bore MRI machine is open on both ends and enclosed by a tube-like bore; it offers a wide opening of approximately two feet. A conventional MRI is also open on both ends but has a smaller opening.
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.
don't wear makeup. Some cosmetics contain metals that can interact with MRI magnets, so on the day of the MRI don't wear makeup or nail polish. Also, minimize hair products and forgo antiperspirants and sunscreens, which contain metals, just to be safe.
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.
While highly effective imaging single body areas such as the spine, liver or brain, MRI is also capable of scanning the entire body for physical abnormalities, tumours in the earliest stages of formation, or simply an overall snapshot of one's general health.
Traditional closed MRI units have long, cylindrical bores. The center of the body part being imaged has to be at the center of the bore/tube. Due to this requirement, the majority of the patient's body winds up being inside the bore. The downside is obvious: a small space for a long period of time.
However, a CT scanner provides benefits in nearly every other area of consideration, including: Takes much less time than MRI scans. CT scans are more affordable and accessible. Reduces risk of the patient experiencing claustrophobia and anxiety.
An Open Upright MRI scanner is an alternative for patients who are claustrophobic, cannot lie down due to pain, or whose size prevents them from being evaluated in a traditional MRI scanner. During the scan you can stand or sit, with an unobstructed view forward — you can even watch TV during most exams.
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.