Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

The only special preparation that you need to take is avoiding drinks with caffeine for several hours before your exam. Take your normal medications, unless your doctor says otherwise.

Please let your technologist know if you have taken medications to relax you. If so, you must have someone with you to drive you to and from your appointment.

Challenges with Claustrophobia

People who are claustrophobic may find that a mild sedative helps them get through the exam. If you feel you need some sedation for the cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) study, let your doctor know and they will order it. Typically, you should take the sedative one hour before your appointment time.

You'll need to arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment. You should not plan to do any work or activity that requires you to be alert for the rest of that day.

The strong magnetic field in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) will pull on any object in the body that contains iron. Be sure to tell us if you have (or believe that you might have) any of the following:

• Brain aneurysm clips
• Cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator
• Are or may be pregnant
• Implanted medication pumps
• Implanted nerve stimulating devices (such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS)
• Intrauterine device (IUD)
• Any other surgically implanted or other metallic object in your body, such as shrapnel metal or a bullet

If there is any question of metal fragments, you may first need an X-ray that will detect any metal objects.

Many medical implants that doctors use today are safe to go into the CMR magnet, but we need to determine that it's OK for you. For the safety of staff and patients, the cardiovascular magnetic resonance environment needs to remain free of metal objects. You must remove these:

• Jewelry (except wedding rings), including watches
• Hair clips and pins
• Hearing aids
• Wallets and credit cards

You will have a locker to keep your belongings safe while you are in the scanner.

Please note that cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not located in Radiology.

To get to the Cardiac MR Center:

• Go to the East Campus entrance at 330 Brookline Avenue in Boston, MA, 02215. It has a large blue sign out front.
• The best elevator to take to the Cardiac MR Center is the Gryzmish elevator. This set of elevators is not located in the main lobby but is nearby near the Nuclear Medicine Department. You can ask the staff at the information desk in the main lobby to direct you to these elevators.
• Take the Gryzmish elevator to the fourth floor.
• Turn left as you exit the elevators and proceed up the hallway. You will see an overhead sign directing you to “Echo Lab/Patient Check-In & Reception.” The check-in area is on your right. The receptionist will notify the Cardiac MR staff of your arrival.
• If you get lost, ask for directions to Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging on the fourth floor or contact us at 617-667-8555.

Check in at the cardiology non-invasive testing waiting area, room ES405 on the BIDMC East Campus. Tell the receptionist you are here for a cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). She will alert us that you are here, so we can come out to meet you.

The technologist reviews the CMR exam with you and answers any questions. A member of the testing team takes you to a locker room. There, you’ll change into appropriate clothing and secure your belongings in a personal locker.

A member of the testing team will then escort you into the scan room. In the scan room, you will lie on a special table, and a member of the care team may insert an IV (intravenous) catheter in your arm. You will have pillows under your knees and blankets to keep you warm.

The technologist will place electrocardiogram (ECG) leads and a special piece of equipment called a surface coil (which is like a radio antenna) over your chest. You will receive hearing protection (earplugs) and a headset. These will lessen the volume of the buzzing and chirping sounds, allow you to listen to music and communicate with the technologist during the exam. You will have an emergency call button in the very unlikely case of an emergency.

The noises you will hear are the sounds of the magnet working to create images. The table will move you into the scanner so that your heart is in the center for the magnet. The technologist will leave the room and go to a booth just outside the scan room. We can see and hear you at all times.

The exam consists of a number of different scans that vary in length and the type of sounds they make. The technologist will tell you how long each scan will be and will remind you to lie as still as possible. Some cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) exams have a few short scans during which you'll be asked to hold your breath. These breath holds last from 10 to 20 seconds. You can expect to be in the scanner between 40 and 90 minutes.

At the end of the exam, the technologist will remove the IV, help you off the table and escort you back to the locker area. There, you can change back into your clothes. Unless you have taken a sedative before the exam, there will be no restrictions on your activities after you finish the CMR study.