You may be asked not to eat or drink anything for 4 - 6 hours before the scan.
Tell your doctor if you are afraid of close spaces (have claustrophobia). You may be given a medicine to help you feel sleepy and less anxious, or your doctor may suggest an "open" MRI, in which the machine is not as close to the body.
Before the test, tell your health care provider if you have:
Artificial heart valves
Brain aneurysm clips
Heart defibrillator or pacemaker
Inner ear (cochlear) implants
Kidney disease or dialysis (you may not be able to receive contrast)
Recently placed artificial joints
Certain types of vascular stents
Worked with sheet metal in the past (you may need tests to check for metal pieces in your eyes)
Because the MRI contains strong magnets, metal objects are not allowed into the room with the MRI scanner:
Items such as jewelry, watches, credit cards, and hearing aids can be damaged.
Pens, pocketknives, and eyeglasses may fly across the room.
Pins, hairpins, metal zippers, and similar metallic items can distort the images.
Removable dental work should be taken out just before the scan.