Well, to begin with, you don’t really have to sit for an MRI, unless it’s the advanced Open MRI. In a traditional MRI scan, where the machine is like a semi-enclosed tube, you typically lay down on a table, still, in a position. As traditional MRIs are the most in use even today, it’s vital to know how long do you have to lie down during your scan. While the duration of an MRI scan can vary, acknowledging the process and understanding what to expect can help make the scan less intimidating.
How Long Does An MRI Take?
The duration of an MRI scan ranges from 15 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on several factors, from the scan pursuit, and scan type to the time at which imaging accuracy is attained during the scan.
Routine MRI scans
A Routine MRI scan focuses on a specific area of the body, whether the knees, the abdominal regions, the pelvic area, the spine, or others to examine common health conditions. This type of MRI uses conventional imaging sequences and doesn’t involve any highly specialized technique or additional process, so the scan duration lasts between 20 to 45 minutes.
Comprehensive MRI scans
This type of MRI focuses on multiple regions of the body and requires a more extensive imaging procedure to gather in-depth information about your health condition, if any. One of the most prominent examples of a comprehensive MRI is the whole-body scan. Cardiac MRI and Functional MRI (the purpose is to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow) are also in this category. These scans may take between 45 to 90 minutes.
Contrast-Enhanced MRI scans
The Contrast-Enhanced MRI scan is where a special contrast agent is administered into your bloodstream to produce clearer and more detailed images of the deeper areas of your body. This extra step adds a preparation time of 10 to 20 minutes while the standard scanning time is 20 to 60. It would take around 5 to 10 minutes to inject the contrast and wait for it to circulate, and then, there’s the post-contrast imaging of 15 to 30 minutes, and the post-scan monitoring, if needed.
Why Duration Matters In an MRI?
Duration is what impacts your comfort during the scan, and that’s one of the primary reasons why it matters. You must stay easy and comfortable during the scan to secure image clarity, helping your medical caregivers attain an accurate diagnosis.
It’s tricky because the machine is semi-enclosed, and you lie down still inside that; then, there’s a constant loud noise, altogether, too anxious a scenario right at the thought of it. But, you must understand that the longer you stay still and comfortable, the more detailed images can the MRI machine provide for you – With Multiple Angles, Depths, and Contrasts!
It also takes time to ensure you are in the correct position when pursuing the scan. Hence, you need to constantly communicate with the MRI technician during the scan through the attached intercom system and follow the instructions carefully.
Factors Affecting MRI Duration
How long you have to be in the MRI scan depends on different factors and here they go!
Type & Complexity of The Scan
The type of scan you are pursuing, whether or not the contrast agent is involved, and how complex is the procedure is what primarily determines the duration of an MRI scan. If it’s a routine scan of the brain, 30 to 40 minutes is ideal, in the case of a joint MRI, the time may be less.
A contrast-enhanced MRI to assess your heart functions may take 45 to 90 minutes, and so would a multiparametric MRI, a comprehensive one, where different MRI sequences are combined to assess liver fibrosis, prostate cancer, or neurooncology conditions!
Patient Movements & Positioning
Your movement and positioning during the scan would also determine the duration. You need to lie down still in a position, as movements would interfere with the process of the magnetic fields, hampering the image quality and precision.
The position in which you are lying down is equally significant here. A proper alignment would certainly help create detailed cross-sectional images. In fact, different MRIs require different optimal positioning. While in a brain MRI, your head is positioned in a head coil and cushions to minimize movements and you lie on your back, an Abdominal MRI would require you to lie on the side or back with arms positioned above to avoid intervention.
What to Expect During an MRI
Before the scan, when you are at the MRI centre, you typically will be given a gown to wear for the scan. You have to wear it and get ready; by removing all metallic accessories and jewellery from your body, if any, and filling out the questionnaire form given to you by the centre.
Once you enter the scan room, the MRI technician will take you to get positioned on the MRI table, and provide you with comfort materials like cushions, blankets, earplugs and noise-cancellation headphones.
After you give a heads-up, the technician will switch on the button to take you inside the machine, move to the image monitoring room, and communicate with you via the intercom system to ensure that you are comfortable and easy therein.
As the machine captures the images, you will what a loud clanging or tapping noise, which might get annoying over time because that noise is going to stay constant, being an indicative that the MRI is working accurately fine.
Mediate, practice breathing exercises, visualize something comfortable, something memorable and peaceful, and stay calm, as that’s how you can avoid blurry images and enable the scan to be successful faster.
Summing Up:
To conclude, how long do you figuratively have to sit for an MRI varies greatly, having different catalysts in the role. Each minute inside the machine is essential for capturing an accurate image and you would have an equal stake in serving them right. Be fearless, be calm, positive, and determined!
If you are looking for an MRI scan centre in Chandigarh, where you can get your scan done without hassle and with state-of-the-art infrastructure, drop by www.mrichandigrah.com. You will get your answers!
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