Contrast dye is a substance given orally or through an IV to enhance the visibility of certain tissues or blood vessels in imaging tests like CT or MRI scans. It helps radiologists see abnormalities more clearly. You’ll be screened for allergies or kidney issues before receiving contrast.

To ensure a safe and comfortable MRI experience, please review the following guidelines before your scan. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to your tech.

• Clothing: Our facility will provide scrubs for you to wear during the scan. Please avoid clothing with metal components, such as underwire bras, belts with buckles, or jackets with zippers or metal buttons. Avoid anti-odor or anti-microbial clothing (e.g., Lululemon, Athleta, Omniheat, or Columbia), as these may contain silver microfibers that can heat up in the scanner. If you’re unsure about your clothing, play it safe and choose something else to bring.

• Hairpieces or Wigs: If you wear a hairpiece, wig, or toupee, please inform your tech before your scan, as it may need to be removed for safety.

• Glasses or Contact Lenses: If you wear glasses or contact lenses, please inform your tech before your scan, as we need to ensure they are safe for the MRI. Note: Colored contact lenses are not permitted, as the materials used in their coloring can pose a safety risk in the scanner’s magnetic field.

• Jewelry and Body Piercings: All jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, earrings, magnetic eyelashes, and body piercings, must be removed before the scan. To make things easier, ensure your jewelry is easy to remove or leave it at home.

• Tattoos: If you have any tattoos, please inform your tech before your scan, as some tattoo inks may contain metal that can affect the procedure.

• IUDs: If you have an IUD, please inform your tech before your scan, as we need to verify its safety for the MRI.

• Claustrophobia: If you’re concerned about feeling enclosed during the scan or have claustrophobia, please let your tech know beforehand so we can support you.

• Recent Metal Work: If you’ve recently worked with metals (e.g., welding or grinding) without protective eyewear, small metal shavings could be in your eyes without you realizing it. These can be unsafe in the MRI’s magnetic field. Please inform your researcher if this applies to you.

• Health Concerns: Your safety is our top priority. If you’ve recently experienced dizziness, loss of balance, loss of consciousness, sinus or breathing issues, or motion disorders, please contact your researcher before your scan.

• Dental Work: If you have dental fillings, retainers, braces, or other dental appliances, please inform your tech before your scan, as these may affect the procedure or data quality.

• Metallic Injuries or Implants: If you’ve ever been injured by a metallic object (e.g., shrapnel, bullet, or BB) or have medical implants like metal rods, screws, insulin pumps, surgical staples, cochlear implants, or others, please inform your tech. We’ll need to verify their safety for the MRI, which may take some time. 

In most cases, you can bring someone for support, but they may need to wait outside the imaging room due to radiation safety or magnetic field concerns (e.g., in MRI). Some facilities allow companions for specific exams, like ultrasounds, if approved by the staff.

Results are typically available within 24-48 hours. A radiologist will interpret the images and send a report to your doctor, who will discuss the findings with you. For urgent cases, results may be available sooner.