Anyone had a brain scan?

[maxrider]

Just had a nurse from the MRI unit on the 'phone asking me a zillion questions about previous illnesses/injuries/allergies etc.

She said it would take about an hour and I'd have to have some stuff injected.

So WTF have I got to look forward to?

[Sciroccology]

I had a brain scan. They didn't find one.

[V8mate]

I think the longer they reckon it'll take, the harder they think it'll be to detect one

HTH

[jdw1234]

Ive had one. Non event really, but the machine is cool.

P.S. if anyone mentions "lumbar puncture" afterwards just say no!!!!

[maxrider]

Sciroccology said:

I had a brain scan. They didn't find one.

That's what I'm expecting

[G C]

Sciroccology said:

I had a brain scan. They didn't find one.

I had that in my head before i opened the topic

[stuttgartmetal]

If its MRI, expect it to be noisy and claustrophobic in the scanner. MRI's involve the use of powerful magnets, so expect a good questioning before the scan.

CT scans, are a little less noisy/claustrophobic.

good luck fella.

[Shar2]

Had one a few years back checking for a brain tumour. Just lie still and listen to the music, if you can hear it over the clunks and bangs the scanner makes that is. Fortunately my results were clear, but the pictures proved that my brain does indeed fill the void in my head .

[tank slapper]

I had a functional MRI before, so had to do certain activities while they did the scan, but normally you have to just lie still. Your head is quite closely enclosed and it is quite noisy but you don't feel anything.

[dgb00]

MRI is a massive magnet that detects changes in the magnetic spin of hydrogen atoms. They cost an AWFUL lot of money, so radiographers get upset if they get broken. Therefore, they have to be absolutely 100% sure that you have no metal in you or any chance of any metal (some tattoo inks contain metal). This is for you as well as unfortunately if there is any metal in your body it will come out again and stick to the magnet, not really worrying about the organs/skin in the way. I remember the story of the fire alarm going off and someone rushing in the MRI scanning room with a fire extinguisher...

You may need an injection, but probably not. Depends what they are looking for - sometimes certain injections can enhance bits on a scan. Generally a low dose injection with no side effects.

The noises are loud - something to do with the switching relays changing over (not entirely sure). You can have some nice headphones with air tubing in them to listen to CDs. It is a small hole that you fit in, but don't worry, no one will rush you. Other than that, good luck!

[dgb00]

jdw1234 said:

Ive had one. Non event really, but the machine is cool.

P.S. if anyone mentions "lumbar puncture" afterwards just say no!!!!

I dunno, I quite like doing them. Very satisfying.

[maxrider]

dgb00 said:

Therefore, they have to be absolutely 100% sure that you have no metal in you or any chance of any metal

Tooth fillings...???

[jdw1234]

dgb00 said:

jdw1234 said:

Ive had one. Non event really, but the machine is cool.

P.S. if anyone mentions "lumbar puncture" afterwards just say no!!!!

I dunno, I quite like doing them. Very satisfying.

My comments were from being the "taker" rather than the "giver" ha ha.

[ludo]

Some light reading related to MRI (possibly NSFW)

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/319/7225/1596

I hope that is reassuring, it can't be too bad if they were willing to undergo a scan for fun and it didn't put them off!

BMJ article said:

And as amateur street acrobats they are trained and used to performing under stress.

[Vipers]

maxrider said:

Just had a nurse from the MRI unit on the 'phone asking me a zillion questions about previous illnesses/injuries/allergies etc.

She said it would take about an hour and I'd have to have some stuff injected.

So WTF have I got to look forward to?

Quite painless, noisy though, they gave me ear plugs to wear last time.

[dgb00]

maxrider said:

dgb00 said:

Therefore, they have to be absolutely 100% sure that you have no metal in you or any chance of any metal

Tooth fillings...???

Should be fine. Its ferrous metals they worry about.

[dgb00]

jdw1234 said:

dgb00 said:

jdw1234 said:

Ive had one. Non event really, but the machine is cool.

P.S. if anyone mentions "lumbar puncture" afterwards just say no!!!!

I dunno, I quite like doing them. Very satisfying.

My comments were from being the "taker" rather than the "giver" ha ha.

True - I would hate one. But they do tell you if you have had a bleed into your brain that the CT/MRI can't pick up, so they are quite useful.

[Jasandjules]

maxrider said:

So WTF have I got to look forward to?

You will lay down, your head will be put into a block to keep it in place, and the likely answer is you will get music played through headphones, then you get rolled into the MRI and off it goes (rather loud, hence the music through headphones). They want to check you haven't any metal in your body, because the MRI is basically a huge magnet, so any metal in your body would find it's way back out, rather swiftly, and I suspect painfully. If in doubt, get an X Ray first.

IIRC fillings are not metallic, so they are fine.

[odyssey2200]

Jasandjules said:

maxrider said:

So WTF have I got to look forward to?

You will lay down, your head will be put into a block to keep it in place, and the likely answer is you will get music played through headphones, then you get rolled into the MRI and off it goes (rather loud, hence the music through headphones). They want to check you haven't any metal in your body, because the MRI is basically a huge magnet, so any metal in your body would find it's way back out, rather swiftly, and I suspect painfully. If in doubt, get an X Ray first.

IIRC fillings are not metallic, so they are fine.

Exactly what he said!

I had one about 3 months ago.

why you having one??

[absolutely]

maxrider said:

Just had a nurse from the MRI unit on the 'phone asking me a zillion questions about previous illnesses/injuries/allergies etc.

She said it would take about an hour and I'd have to have some stuff injected.

So WTF have I got to look forward to?

I keep on having them because I had a brain tumour. The injection is "contrast" so they can see it clearer.

It really vibrates you, odd sensation, worse if you have an entire body one, I had a back scan when I was 19.