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Musculoskeletal MRI with and without contrast

General instructions for Musculoskeletal MRI with and without contrast

Imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to examine bones, muscles, and joints in detail.

  • Definition: An imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to examine bones, muscles, and joints in detail.
  • Fasting: If your test is without contrast, you do not need to fast; you can eat and drink water completely normally. If the test is with contrast, you will generally be asked to fast from solid food and liquids for 4 to 6 hours to prevent possible nausea, although some centers allow small sips of plain water.
  • Medication: You should maintain your usual medication, taking it with the minimum amount of water possible if you are fasting. If the study includes contrast, it is essential to inform if you suffer from kidney disease or if you have had previous allergies to contrast media. As always, this must be discussed beforehand with your doctor.
  • Clothing and Accessories: Use comfortable clothing, preferably sportswear or cotton. There is a strict and absolute restriction regarding metals: you must remove any metal objects (jewelry, piercings, watches, glasses, hearing aids, hairpins, as well as clothing with zippers, wires, or metal clasps) before entering the room, as the machine works like a giant magnet. Generally, you will be provided with a hospital gown for safety.
  • Specific Requirements: The most important requirement is to inform the staff if you are a carrier of a pacemaker, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, prostheses, or any metal fragment in your body, as well as if there is a possibility of pregnancy. If the test is with contrast, they will place a small IV in your arm. Additionally, if you suffer from claustrophobia (fear of closed spaces), discuss it with your doctor beforehand, as a mild relaxant might be prescribed, in which case it will be mandatory to be accompanied by an adult.
  • Expected discomfort or pain from the test: The procedure is totally painless. The greatest discomfort is usually the need to remain completely still for 20 to 45 minutes inside the tube-shaped machine. Furthermore, the equipment produces rhythmic and very loud noises, similar to bangs, so you will be provided with earplugs or headphones with music. If contrast is administered, you will feel a slight initial prick in the arm and, occasionally, a cold sensation as the liquid enters or a slight metallic taste in the mouth that disappears quickly.