Anyone's dc have an MRI?

docmay25 · November 2008

Jack went to a neurologist for a consultation. He has had many issues since birth that are getting increasing worse as he gets older. They are sensory, gross motor, attention, anxiety. The neuro is sending us to a developmentalist for further testing and wants Jack to have an MRI. I am unsure about putting him thru that and am not convinced that it is needed.

Can anyone tell me what is involved? I don't think Jack could handle it and don't want to traumatize him. With his sensory problems he does not tolerate loud noises. Any information anyone has is helpful.

isabella22 · November 2008

I am a medical physicist, so I can answer any questions that you have about the MRI.

They are loud, they can give him earplugs though. It is also a pretty big tunnel and his head will be in the middle, so his feet will probably just stick out of the machine. There isn't any radiation (like a CT scan), so you can go in the room with him (as long as you don't have any contra-indications like implanted metal).

brightning · November 2008

I've had two MRIs, so I can tell you my experiences. You are in a narrow tube (I couldn't have spread my elbows out without touching the sides) with a LOT of LOUD banging noises. They piped music into the machine, but it didn't mask the banging at all, and the music was also very loud. My MRIs were of my knees, and I was older, so I didn't have to be strapped in. But my mom had an MRI of her head and she had to be in a head restraint device of some sort. One of my MRIs was a "traveling" MRI trailer, and it at least had a window at the foot of it, so you could look out into the hospital parking lot. Both of my MRIs lasted about 40 minutes. I'm not especially claustrophobic, but it was a little unnerving how very enclosed the space was. For those who don't like loud noises, I think an MRI would be very uncomfortable. I'm obviously not a doctor, but I really think they'd have to sedate a young child during an MRI just because of how still you have to be. I hope this was at all helpful! Good luck.

isabella22 · November 2008

Right, another thing is that for a brain MRI they will use a 'head coil' which is the receiver coil (makes the image). Your head goes in it and so it is very close to your face. It isn't solid, but typically has lots of 'slots'.

isabella22 · November 2008

Sorry, 1 more thing.... if you are by a big/research hospital, you may have access to an 'open' MR. These are not as enclosed and help people who are claustophobic. They also use these to image patients while they are operating on them. They don't produce quite as good of images as the regular MR scanners, but they may work for your son.

But, if he has a lot of anxiety and doesn't tolerate loud noises, if you decide you need one, you may want to use a sedative or something.

LoveBryce · November 2008

My dd had one at 5 months old. She was sedated beforehand (I was more nervous about that than the MRI) so she wasn't aware of anything. I am not sure if they sedate older kids but it may be something to ask about.

docmay25 · November 2008

Thanks for all the info. He is being treated at children's hospital in boston. I think we are going to see the developmental doctor first before doing an MRI. I think it would be too much for him and I don't think it is something that is needed at this time.

mommyof4boys · November 2008

Christopher is going to be having one soon. He will be sedated before sohe doesn't move. Is this an option?

Kristin78 · November 2008

I answered this on the special needs board, but I will answer again. My son had an MRI and they sedated him. The only sucky part was that had to fast and he was dehydrated. Therefore, they could not find a vein and they had to poke him 5 - 6 times.