Information for patients

You should lie as relaxed and still as possible during the examination. An automated voice may give you precise instructions on how to breathe. Please follow these instructions, as every breath can change the appearance of internal organs.

We will have to administer contrast agents if the natural contrast is too weak. The contrast medium will be injected into your arm veins using a pump to produce images that are easier to assess. You may also need to drink a contrast medium for abdominal examinations. The use of contrast media is now the rule rather than the exception. If you are having a CT scan with a contrast medium, please come to the clinic on an empty stomach and bring the following blood test results with you: TSH (thyroid function) and creatinine (kidney function).

Examinations of the head (skull and brain) as well as of the intervertebral discs and the skeleton do not require any special preparation. For examinations of the abdomen and pelvis, patients are usually given 1-2 liters of contrast medium to drink in order to delineate the gastrointestinal tract during imaging. This type of contrast medium normally consists of a barium compound instead of iodine. Please bring the following blood test results with you to the examination: TSH (thyroid function) and creatinine (kidney function).

For children and young people under the age of 18, we require a declaration of consent from a parent or legal guardian.

If you require sedation, you must have someone accompany you to the examination. Please contact us if this is the case and we will discuss any additional steps to take. Please also note that you are not allowed to drive or conduct business for 24 hours after sedation.

Unlike computed tomography and X-ray examinations, an MRI uses a magnetic field rather than X-rays.

That is why you will need to remove any metallic objects (jewelry, piercings, dentures and magnetically sensitive objects such as bank cards etc.) and clothing during the examination, as the magnetic field is very strong.

Lie very still in the tube and avoid any kind of movement during the examination, as movement can distort the images, potentially making evaluation very difficult.

The tube of our new 3-Tesla MRI scanner is more spacious than that of older systems.

The magnetic tube is internally illuminated, as well as ventilated and open at the head and foot ends. During an examination of the abdominal region, we use headphones to tell you how and when to breathe, as breathing movements can interfere with imaging.

During the MRI examination, you will lie on a movable table top. The table will then be slid into the examination tube until the region of your body to be examined is in the center of the ring magnet.

You will hear loud knocking noises during the procedure. We can provide you with earplugs or headphones with music to make these sounds less noticeable.

Unfortunately, we cannot perform MRIs on patients with pacemakers.

For the following prostheses and implants, we can only perform an MRI if we have written proof of suitability:

• Heart valve replacement
• Inner ear prosthesis
• Cochlear implant
• Neurostimulators
• Event recorder
• Brain stimulators

Please speak to us specifically about this when making an appointment.

MRIs can generally be performed on patients with the following:

• Coronary stents
• Joint replacements
• Joint prostheses

• Are you allergic to medications (penicillin) or certain foods? Have you ever had an allergic reaction to iodine administration?
• Do you suffer from asthma, from metabolic, heart or kidney disease or from hyperthyroidism?
• What medications are you taking? (includes sugar tablets such as Glucophage, Medformin)
• Have you ever received a contrast medium before? How did you tolerate previous contrast medium injections?
• For women: Are you pregnant or do you suspect you may be pregnant?