Full body MRI

I have had more than a handful of MRIs, but they have never been full body. I have had brain, brain & spine, and abdominal ones done.

For me the brain alone quick, easy I got to sorta relax and listen to music. Brain and spine was also fairly easy but at the time I was sore so being in there not moving got a bit painful and for whatever reason they did not give me music. Abdominal ones I find a bit more stressful as half of the images involve holding my breath (broken up of course) so there's always the little worry that I might breath too soon and need to repeat a set of images. These ones, no music due to breath holding instructions. I'm pretty certain though if it did happen they would just wait it out and do another injection of contrast. I do tend to be a bit stiff by the end of it, but I stiffen up easily and holding my breath adds to that.

The whole rundown for me looks like: fill out form online (yay! this wasn't an option for my earlier ones, saves time) there are a lot of questions about possible metal in the body. Show up, they will quickly confirm the questions I already answered. Get undressed and into a gown - I usually show up in leggings, some techs don't make me take them off, some do. I need to inject medication I normally do use at home (for my rare blood disorder, to reduce any changes of contrast triggering an attack of that). The techs ask a lot of questions about that wondering if it's ok and I let them know it's not my first time. They start an IV line with saline. Usually a bit of waiting then as they try to process people so the machine isn't sitting empty for long. Then they take me into the room with the MRI machine, get me to lay down and then they raise the bed up. They hook up the IV contrast agent, put a wedge behind my knees for comfort, place a ... forget the name, it's like a frame around the area being looked at and set me up with a little panic squeeze ball and put headphones on me. The then put me in the machine (automated), start taking images without breath holds, it does it's thing and makes a lot of noise. Sort of arcade like beep beep beep beep BOP BOP BOP BOP noises. Sometimes the bed will move in a bit further to get a slightly lower part of my body. They ask how I am doing and start doing the breath holds. Then there's a little gap where they start the contrast and repeat. I know once the contrast has been injected I'm about halfway through, so repeat the images without breath holding and with breath holding. They take a look at the images to ensure they all worked out alright, they move me out of the machine I start wiggling my legs, they inform me to not get off the bed when they lower it the unhook the contrast agent line, and tell me to get up when I'm ready. I then go back to the prep area where they remove the IV line for me and I change back into my clothes, go grab food and a drink (abdominal ones require me to fast for 4 hours) and I see the report about 5 days later.

Some tips:

- consider bringing clothes with absolutely no metal/no possibility of metal that you may be comfy in just to add comfort. Feet get cold? Have a nice pair of warm socks that aren't tight around your legs (they actually tend to encourage people to keep their socks on).

- Get as comfy as you can with that wedge. You need to be in one position for a while. The techs want you to be as comfy as possible and will help with adjustments.

- Go ahead and ask for whatever will make you feel less anxious. Some people like to have a washcloth over their eyes. I mostly keep my eyes open but do close them for a bit too. Others like to have a mirror inside the machine (I have never been offered this but I have also never asked). You can likely have music for at least a part of yours and they let you pick the genre, so have an idea of what you will find helpful.

- The techs will likely explain it to you, but don't be afraid to ask before you get in there about movement breaks. With a full body MRI, I think that may take a while, so if you can move in between certain parts that may help with staying still for the images.

- Don't be afraid to talk to the techs (between images) or use the panic squeeze bulb if you need to. If you need a break, if you need to redo some images, etc. don't feel bad. The techs are working with people, many who are fairly sick so they see it all and will be helpful with whatever it is that will make it easier.