Tips for Staying Calm During an MRI

It is normal to experience some anxiety when undergoing an MRI procedure. Many patients feel uneasy about being in a confined area for the period of time that it takes to complete the scan, or they may be nervous about what results they will get from the test. While many of our MRI machines at ImageCare Radiology are designed to help our patients feel less confined during their procedure, we understand that some apprehension may still be present.

Here are some tips for staying calm during your MRI procedure:

1. Discuss your concerns with your healthcare team: Your referring doctor and your MRI technicians are all knowledgeable about the anxieties that can accompany an MRI scan, and can provide you with tips for feeling less uneasy. They may even be able to make special accommodations to help keep you comfortable, such as opting for a short bore, wide bore, extremity, or stand-up MRI machine.
2. Listen to music: Our patients can choose a radio station to listen to during their procedure to help them feel more at ease. Listening to music provides a way to be distracted from what is happening during the MRI scan.
3. Practice relaxation techniques: Focus on your breathing, try counting, or even take a “mental wander” through a place you love to take your mind off of the procedure.
4. Ask about sedation: For many patients who struggle with being in confined spaces or who experience pain from lying down or remaining in one position for a period of time, ImageCare Radiology also offers a sedation MRI option. This can assist the patient with remaining relaxed and still during their procedure so that accurate and clear images can be obtained from their scan.

Our goal at ImageCare Radiology is to make our patients’ experiences as stress-free and easy as possible. If your doctor has referred you for MRI imaging and you are concerned about the anxiety this procedure can cause, ask us about ways to put yourself at ease, including sedation MRI.