MRI Cerebral scan

[Morgan]

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim_Duncan]

3 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ve just described my sex life. 

[Morgan]

Just now, Jim_Duncan said:

You’ve just described my sex life. 

25 minutes though?  🤷🏿‍♂️

[micole]

I recently had an MRI scan for gall stones, not normally claustrophobic but felt uneasy during the process ( around 30mins), you really just have to shut your eyes and try and relax. You have headphones on and they play  music interrupted with instructions, in my case breath in/ out ect. Overall I found it very wearing and do want to go through it again. 

Edited April 18 by micole

[Morgan]

1 minute ago, micole said:

I recently had an MRI scan for gall stones, not normally claustrophobic but felt uneasy during the process ( around 30mins), you really just have to shut your eyes and try and relax. You have headphones on and they play  music interrupted with instructions, in my case breath in/ out ect. Overall I found it very wearing and di want to go through it again. Good luck.

Thanks.

 

I had this treat last Friday - wasn’t actually as bad as I made out, but, as you say, not something you’d want on a regular basis!

 

 

 

[Jim_Duncan]

46 minutes ago, Morgan said:

25 minutes though?  🤷🏿‍♂️

Aye, a minute for foreplay and twenty minutes of recovery.

[Jim_Duncan]

Seriously though, hope you're doing okay.

[Morgan]

18 minutes ago, Jim_Duncan said:

Seriously though, hope you're doing okay.

Thanks.

 

All clear.  👍

 

 

[Jim_Duncan]

2 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Thanks.

 

All clear.  👍

 

 

[been here before]

Aye they're not the quietest of things are they?

 

I helped out in an experiment years back where along with the usual restraints holding you in, a cage contraption was also placed over your face so you could look at images on a screen.

[John Findlay]

1 hour ago, Morgan said:

25 minutes though?  🤷🏿‍♂️

He's a stayer.

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

I got headphones during mine with some tunes on. Just about fell asleep. The noise is repetitive so if you chill out, your mind will wonder. But the roof above you is literally about 20cm from your face

[Seymour M Hersh]

1 hour ago, Morgan said:

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've had two MRIs for different things and found them both horrible. Really had to concentrate to avoid getting panicky. Amazing when you see the results though. 

[Greedy Jambo]

@rudi must stay is the expert on all things scan-related, you'd do well to listen to his advice. 

[Morgan]

46 minutes ago, Dusk_Till_Dawn said:

I got headphones during mine with some tunes on. Just about fell asleep. The noise is repetitive so if you chill out, your mind will wonder. But the roof above you is literally about 20cm from your face

I was told in the literature received beforehand that I would get music too.

 

All I got was two wee rubber ear-plugs!

 

Alarmingly though, I was given a small hand-held alarm device to squeeze if there was a problem!  👀

 

 

 

 

[Morgan]

10 minutes ago, Greedy Jambo said:

@rudi must stay is the expert on all things scan-related, you'd do well to listen to his advice. 

[Bunny Munro]

I've had a few MRIs (2 or 3, can't remember).

They're not pleasant, but I just kept my eyes shut and let them get on with. I was offered Queen or ABBA.

 

I'm sure I read someone somewhere chose Simon and Garfunkel and was sent into the machine to 'Hello darkness my old friend'.

Edited April 18 by Bunny Munro

[Carl Fredrickson]

Had one a number of years ago and it was horrible. I mind the noise, the fear of being enclosed and it was so cold. Hospital gown and pants and the room was freezing. They played a CD of mine but I couldnt hear it for the clunking noises. 

 

Dont envy anyone who has to go through the experience however they are pretty damn good at what they do. 

[davemclaren]

4 hours ago, Morgan said:

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several times. Your nose will itch annoyingly. 

[tedarmy]

been having them every year since 2012

it doesnt get easier to stay still

[Punks No Deid]

I’ve had a few - I was able to take my own tunes to listen to.. thank god for The Exploited, GBH and Discharge

[superjack]

4 hours ago, Morgan said:

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've had a few MRI scans on my upper spine about 8 or 9 years ago. Then had a cerebral 1 last year. This 1 felt slightly more restrictive with, as you said, the strap across my neck. My biggest problem in the scanner is falling asleep now, I find the noise quite rhythmic. Found this 1 slightly different, never nodded off, but didn't feel too uncomfortable either. If I had the cerebral 1 for my first scan, it would probably have been different. At least this time though they asked me what music I liked. So the solution is, have some acdc blasting away during the scan!

[rudi must stay]

4 hours ago, Morgan said:

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly not

[il Duce McTarkin]

3 hours ago, Morgan said:

 

 

All clear.  👍

 

 

 

[Morgan]

2 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Several times. Your nose will itch annoyingly. 

 

Strangely enough, Dave, and without a word of a lie, after about 30 seconds I got a really itchy forehead. Obviously couldn’t get near it for a good scratch, so I tried to mentally count 24 minutes, second by second.

 

For the remaining 30 seconds I tried to recall the amount of games that Hibs had outplayed Hearts.

 

I was 25 seconds short.

 

1 hour ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

 

Thanks, Gov.  👍❤️

[il Duce McTarkin]

Just now, Morgan said:

 

Thanks, Gov.  👍❤️

 

Just hope that you get to the bottom of whatever it is that's been eating at you, Morg'.

 

Been years since I've had an MRI. Didn't mind it too much, tbh. Just convinced myself that the experience would be fun in and of itself and for the sake of it.

 

[Morgan]

1 minute ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

Just hope that you get to the bottom of whatever it is that's been eating at you, Morg'.

 

Been years since I've had an MRI. Didn't mind it too much, tbh. Just convinced myself that the experience would be fun in and of itself and for the sake of it.

 

Very much ‘getting there’ now, Gov.

 

That’s only the second brain scan I’ve had in the past 41 years.

 

Same result both times like - no brain.  😆

[il Duce McTarkin]

12 minutes ago, Morgan said:

 

Same result both times like - no brain.  😆

 

 

Could've saved the NHS a few quid and just asked us, Morgan.

[Morgan]

1 minute ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

Could've saved the NHS a few quid and just asked us, Morgan.

😀

 

At least the feckin French paid for this one!

 

That, in itself, makes me happy.

[redjambo]

4 hours ago, Bunny Munro said:

I've had a few MRIs (2 or 3, can't remember).

They're not pleasant, but I just kept my eyes shut and let them get on with. I was offered Queen or ABBA.

 

I'm sure I read someone somewhere chose Simon and Garfunkel and was sent into the machine to 'Hello darkness my old friend'.

 

 

Strangely I've also had 2 or 3 but can't remember quite how many. I preferred listening to the radio though and was always waiting (hoping) for some inappropriate music track or news item.

 

I got used to them in the end, but the worst thing I found was being told I couldn't move a muscle. When you're told to do that, you can't help but twitch as you concentrate on staying completely still. I found the best bet was to think about something completely different rather than what was going on around me, albeit slightly difficult with the racket going on.

[redjambo]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but the first ever full-body MRI scanner was built in Aberdeen.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_magnetic_resonance_imaging

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mallard

[ehcaley]

7 hours ago, Morgan said:

Has anyone else had the pleasure of getting one of these?

 

I suppose it’s fine if you’re not claustrophobic, enjoy a close fitting strap across your neck, can lie completely still for about 25 minutes, don’t mind wearing a tight fitting plastic mask and are partial to thumping, clicking, scraping noises accompanied by, what sounds like, Tom Tom drums that can be clearly heard through the earplugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My laddie,who has a brain tumour,has regular scans, felt the same as you at the start with the claustrophobia ,noise and discomfort,moved on taking in his own music but he now takes it in his his stride and sees it as part of the process of keeping him alive.

Hope all goes well for you.

[Ulysses]

1 hour ago, redjambo said:

 

 

Strangely I've also had 2 or 3 but can't remember quite how many. I preferred listening to the radio though and was always waiting (hoping) for some inappropriate music track or news item.

 

I got used to them in the end, but the worst thing I found was being told I couldn't move a muscle. When you're told to do that, you can't help but twitch as you concentrate on staying completely still. I found the best bet was to think about something completely different rather than what was going on around me, albeit slightly difficult with the racket going on.

 

Had an MRI a few years ago targeting my neck.  As soon as they asked me to stay still I developed an irresistible urge to swallow, followed by a tickly cough and then a fit of the giggles.  They weren't entirely impressed.  

 

Mind you, there are few things quite as weird as the first time you have a CT scan with contrast dye, and "that moment" arrives.   

[cheetah]

I Work in MRI research and have at least 2 scans a week, have done for the past 20 odd years, use myself as a control.

 

It becomes quite therapeutic if you let yourself drift off to the radio frequency sounds, especially a nice repetitive protocol.

 

Oh and @Morgan the wee button is in case you want out, which happens a lot when folk just hate it too much. 

[il Duce McTarkin]

12 hours ago, Morgan said:

😀

 

At least the feckin French paid for this one!

 

That, in itself, makes me happy.

 

 

11 hours ago, ehcaley said:

My laddie,who has a brain tumour,has regular scans, felt the same as you at the start with the claustrophobia ,noise and discomfort,moved on taking in his own music but he now takes it in his his stride and sees it as part of the process of keeping him alive.

Hope all goes well for you.

 

All the best to you your laddie. 👍

 

10 hours ago, Ulysses said:

 

Mind you, there are few things quite as weird as the first time you have a CT scan with contrast dye, and "that moment" arrives.   

 

I was warned about this but it never arrived. 

 

 

[Bunny Munro]

10 hours ago, Ulysses said:

 

Had an MRI a few years ago targeting my neck.  As soon as they asked me to stay still I developed an irresistible urge to swallow, followed by a tickly cough and then a fit of the giggles.  They weren't entirely impressed.  

 

Mind you, there are few things quite as weird as the first time you have a CT scan with contrast dye, and "that moment" arrives.   

I've had plenty of CT Scans too. Imagine they didn't warn you. 🤣

[Ulysses]

34 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

I was warned about this but it never arrived. 

 

 

 

I was warned.  Still nearly pissed myself when it happened.

[Ulysses]

20 minutes ago, Bunny Munro said:

I've had plenty of CT Scans too. Imagine they didn't warn you. 🤣

 

A pal of mine said he simultaneously got it in his hands, feet and crotch.  He said he felt like the five of spades needing to run to the bog.

 

[tian447]

I had a full head scan done a few years ago, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. 

 

You will probably get a head restraint cage, usually with a mirror so you can see out the bottom of the machine. It's quite cosy, but you're not sealed in, and you can press a button if it gets too much for you and they'll get you out. 

 

You will hear all sorts of mad noises, ones that sound like simple thuds, others that sound like fire alarms or machine gun fire. It's all fine, but the headphones won't really mask the sound of them at all.  It's generally quite a relaxing experience, interrupted with a few odd screeches and sounds, but if you're aware of them ahead of time, you'll be less inclined to be bothered by them.  There's a great 30 odd second video that covers some of the things you'll hear:

 

 

 

 

My scan took about 25 minutes, and my nose started itching the second I went in. That was torture because you can't move

 

My recommendation is that you just try and relax as much as possible. It's quite a cool experience. 

 

The thing that freaked me out the most was seeing a scan of my own brain. My brain was using my eyes to look at a picture of itself. Mild existential crisis inducing

 

[il Duce McTarkin]

1 hour ago, Ulysses said:

 

I was warned.  Still nearly pissed myself when it happened.