What to Expect During Your First MRI
Nervous about your upcoming MRI? Here's everything you need to know to feel prepared and comfortable.
If you've never had an MRI before, it's completely normal to feel a bit anxious. The good news? MRIs are safe, painless, and much easier than most people expect.
What Is an MRI?
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the inside of your body. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, MRI uses no radiation — making it one of the safest imaging technologies available.
MRIs are commonly used to examine the brain and spine, joints (knee, shoulder, ankle), abdominal organs, heart and blood vessels, and soft tissues throughout the body.
Before Your MRI
What to wear: Loose, comfortable clothing without metal zippers, buttons, or underwire. You may be asked to change into a gown.
What to remove: All jewelry, watches, piercings, hair clips, and anything else metal. The MRI magnet is extremely powerful.
What to tell us: Inform our technologist about any implants, pacemakers, cochlear implants, or metal in your body.
During the Scan
You'll lie on a padded table that slides into the MRI machine. Our technologist will give you earplugs or headphones (the machine makes loud tapping sounds), provide a call button so you can communicate at any time, and monitor you throughout the entire scan.
The most important thing: Stay as still as possible. Movement can blur the images.
Tips for Staying Calm
- **Close your eyes before going in** — prevents feeling enclosed
- **Focus on your breathing** — slow, deep breaths help you relax
- **Listen to the music** — we offer headphones with your choice of music
- **Remember it's temporary** — most scans take 30-60 minutes
If You're Claustrophobic
We understand. Options include our Open MRI (spacious, open-sided design), our wide-bore high-field MRI (wider opening), bringing a companion (in the Open MRI room), or mild sedation prescribed by your doctor.
After Your MRI
You can drive, eat, and resume all normal activities immediately. Your images will be read by a board-certified radiologist, and a report is sent to your physician within 48 hours. Stat reads are available for urgent cases.
Ready to Schedule?
Call us at (727) 398-5999 — our team is happy to walk you through the process.
Have Questions About Your Imaging?
Our team is happy to answer any questions. Call us or schedule online.