For an MRI, you will lie on a table that slides inside a tunnel in a large machine. Dye may be injected into your vein to help highlight certain structures. During the test, the magnet in the machine moves from side to side and makes humming, bumping, or banging sounds. This is very noisy, so you may wear earplugs. The test takes a long time (about an hour), and you must lie still the entire time. An MRI is painless but some people find it difficult to lie still in the tunnel, so sedative medication is sometimes given prior to the test to relax the patient.
People who have metal in their bodies (pacemaker, bullet, prosthesis, etc.) may not be able to have an MRI. Talk to your radiologist or medical provider if this applies to you before getting an MRI.
