Ot: Mri

[Evan]

I just got back from having my brain scanned via MRI. I want to compare my experience with anyone that has also has an MRI of the brain done.

It was one of the least pleasant experiences I have had in a while. Never mind the confines, I am not at all claustrophobic, I have done caving. Never mind the noise, I have made worse sounds on my machines.

What I did mind greatly were the serious nervous system effects. These included not just tingling but the feeling of electric shocks, minor and not so minor convulsions and the induction of heart arrhythmias. That includes a fairly long run of atrial fibrillation for about 30 seconds. I almost called a halt to the procedure but continued slowly with breaks between each of the six sequences. After the entire set was finished I felt like I has suffered a serious electric shock (or 10).

The machine is a 1.5 Tesla unit running very standard sequences and 1.5 Tesla isn't supposed to cause neurological side effects.

[customcutter]

I've had MRI's and CT scans, none of the brain. Nothing even similar to what you are reporting. I almost went to sleep during a few. Kind of hypnotic sounds to me.

Ken

[Tony Ennis]

Aren't you the person with too much iron in the blood?

[Evan]

Not any more. They drained it out at the rate of a litre per week for two months.

[danlb]

My one MRI of the brain had none of the effects that you mention. I did feel odd, and there were occasional feelings that my skin / scalp was being pulled. In my case they were looking for evidence of a stroke. Thank goodness they found nothing.

Dan

[dp]

I
What I did mind greatly were the serious nervous system effects. These included not just tingling but the feeling of electric shocks, minor and not so minor convulsions and the induction of heart arrhythmias. That includes a fairly long run of atrial fibrillation for about 30 seconds. I almost called a halt to the procedure but continued slowly with breaks between each of the six sequences. After the entire set was finished I felt like I has suffered a serious electric shock (or 10).

My mother died of complications caused by brain cancer and she refused a second MRI because of the bad experience. Principally claustrophobia, but other unidentified discomforts as well.

I've had several, never of the brain, and have had no similar symptoms. I do wonder what the metal stent in my heart does when all that is going on. The mortality rate from MRI induced symptoms is very low. Not so much the discomfort. The tunnels are the worst for me as my shoulders are pretty far apart and I have to stay scrunched. The last two tests use moving panels which are very close in, and the process is very slow. I usually fall asleep.

[becksmachine]

Two MRI so far, nothing nearly so threatening as what you describe.

A touch of claustrophobia during the first, knew to clear my throat of phlegm beforehand on the second.

Dave

[flylo]

I had one with no ill effects, just a cubic ft of concrete.

[Evan]

I could feel every magnetic pulse and each was followed by a large number of little twitches of random small muscles, especially in my head. There were a few very large twitches like a convulsion without any warning where both my shoulders did a major jump along with neck muscles. My teeth began to chatter more or less in time with the pulses after the first couple of minutes and I couldn't even clamp them shut. I had electric like jolts down to my toes, especially my right big toe and after it was over that toe hurt to walk on. The after effects took about half an hour to fade away. I had a series of arrhythmias followed by the atrial run which was no fun at all.

[dp]

I could feel every magnetic pulse and each was followed by a large number of little twitches of random small muscles, especially in my head.

For CYA purposes they frequently video record these sessions. Might be worth reviewing the vids if they're available. The technicians like to talk geek, from my experience.