Advice please on MRI scan

Ciara7

Hi all I am just wondering has anyone had an MRI scan. My son is 9 months old and has to have one in the next 10 - 14 days on his brain and eyes. What will I expect and how much willl it be?
Thanks

Dr Galen

I'm not sure what your asking OP?

What do you mean by what should you expect?

As for cost, well if your public (I assume your son is) then it will be free for the scan.

Ciara7

It's private as waiting list is too long on public!! Will it take long? Will they bring me in the night before?

sam34

if you're paying privately, an mri brain is approx €400

i've never actually seen one done, so i cant describe what happens, sorry!

sam34

you wont be in teh night before

AFAIK, it takes about ten mins

Dr Galen

i'd doubt they'll take him in the night before. I'm not sure if they give little ones something to chill them out beforehand either. Sorry

As for the procedure, well its like a big toilet roll tube, you lie flat out on a table and they move the table into the machine. Can take a fair while, which is why I mentioned the little man having something to chill him out.

Let me see what I can dig up for you

Ciara7

Thats great Thanks but when on the phone they said he would need to fast before hand! Should have asked doctor all these questions but ya never think off them til after.

RobFowl

It takes about 10 mins.

Should cost 250-400 but as with every thing in this day and age feel free to haggle especially if you don't have insurance cover.

It's quite a noisy test and can be a little claustrophobic. Most prople find it ok though. Ask the clinic/hospital a few days before how they would advise you to help relax and help your child. They probably have protocols in place for children especially younger ones.

And finally best wishes with it and hope it goes well.

XxMCRxBabyxX

Had enough scans to give a good idea!

Basically the MRI is like a big tube. Your son will be lying down and have his head placed in a kind of cage thing to keep it still as they need him to be as still as possible to take the scans. The part where he is lying will then be moved into a big cylinder that is the scanner. Then he just has to lie there as the scans are taken. It will be really noisy but i have usually been given headphones to listen to the radio or a cd to block out the noise.

You shouldn't need to bring him in overnight and I'm pretty sure there will be an option for you to sit in the same room as the scanner while is is being done but you will need protection for the radiotherapy. My dad was certainly given this option my first scan anyway.

As your son is so young there might be slight difference to that but that's my experience and I've probably had 6 or 7 scans with another one due in the summer.

Where are you having the scan if you don't mind me asking?

Ciara7

He's having it in Temple street it's just the muscle in his bottom left of his eye is not working like it should so they want to see what signals are coming from the brain or why it's not 100%!!!!

XxMCRxBabyxX

Can't say anything about Temple Street i'm afraid. only been in Tallaght and the Beacon (Would advise against going there personally!)

Being a children's hospital, I'm sure TS will be well prepared for dealing with a young child he should be alright!

And I wish you luck. hope all is ok with him!

Ciara7

Thanks don't think its too serious!!!!!!!;);)

XxMCRxBabyxX

Ciara7 wrote: »

Thanks don't think its too serious!!!!!!!;);)

Doesn't sound it!
No need to worry about anything!

lonestargirl

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

You shouldn't need to bring him in overnight and I'm pretty sure there will be an option for you to sit in the same room as the scanner while is is being done but you will need protection for the radiotherapy. My dad was certainly given this option my first scan anyway.

Sorry, the medical physicist in me has to point out that there is no radiation exposure from a MRI scan.

I'd imagine they would give a child something to calm him down, just coz the scanners can be quite loud. Hope all goes well and you get to the bottom of what's up with your son.

XxMCRxBabyxX

lonestargirl wrote: »

Sorry, the medical physicist in me has to point out that there is no radiation exposure from a MRI scan.

I'd imagine they would give a child something to calm him down, just coz the scanners can be quite loud. Hope all goes well and you get to the bottom of what's up with your son.

Well I apologise then! My own mistake! but why is it that when they let my dad in the room they made him wear one of those lead apron things?!

RobFowl

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Well I apologise then! My own mistake! but why is it that when they let my dad in the room they made him wear one of those lead apron things?!

CT scans have radiation and possibly you had one of them?
MRI's as said by lonestargirl do not involve radiation and are becoming much more common thesedays.

XxMCRxBabyxX

RobFowl wrote: »

CT scans have radiation and possibly you had one of them?
MRI's as said by lonestargirl do not involve radiation and are becoming much more common thesedays.

Ah that could be it! I'm pretty sure I've had both but the first scan was the only one I had my parents in with me so I gots confused! Silly me!
Everything else I've said is correct though, yes?

RobFowl

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Ah that could be it! I'm pretty sure I've had both but the first scan was the only one I had my parents in with me so I gots confused! Silly me!
Everything else I've said is correct though, yes?

Yes, BTW I'd have trouble recalling exactly what tests I had done in the past especially those done when I was a kid !

XxMCRxBabyxX

RobFowl wrote: »

Yes, BTW I'd have trouble recalling exactly what tests I had done in the past especially those done when I was a kid !

Well it was only 3 years ago and I was 15 but I like that excuse!

Minus radiation is there a difference between CTs and MRIs because after so many scans I'm genuinely struggling to remember if there was a difference between the two!

Dr Galen

lonestargirl wrote: »

I'd imagine they would give a child something to calm him down, just coz the scanners can be quite loud. Hope all goes well and you get to the bottom of what's up with your son.

i'm 30 and i asked for something to chill me out.........:p

lonestargirl

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Ah that could be it! I'm pretty sure I've had both but the first scan was the only one I had my parents in with me so I gots confused! Silly me!
Everything else I've said is correct though, yes?

Yes you are correct, you've got to excuse me I have a radar for the word 'radiation' just because so many people are scared by it.

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Well it was only 3 years ago and I was 15 but I like that excuse!

Minus radiation is there a difference between CTs and MRIs because after so many scans I'm genuinely struggling to remember if there was a difference between the two!

Functionally? or in terms of what the machines look like? different machines from different manufacturers will look different, you can have both open and closed bore MRIs etc.

Dr Galen wrote: »

i'm 30 and i asked for something to chill me out.........:p

Believe me, I would too!!

XxMCRxBabyxX

lonestargirl wrote: »

Yes you are correct, you've got to excuse me I have a radar for the word 'radiation' just because so many people are scared by it.

I'm not scared of it personally! I do understand what you mean though!

Functionally? or in terms of what the machines look like? different machines from different manufacturers will look different, you can have both open and closed bore MRIs etc.

Well as in should I be able to tell the difference in between the two scans? Know which was an MRI and which was a CAT?

i'm 30 and i asked for something to chill me out........

Funnily enough I never had a problem with the scans, my parents kept expecting me to freak out but I just got it over and done with. I'm like that though, very stubborn. Had to be convinced to take pain meds when I was on them too!