It is stressful when a doctor schedules you for a diagnostic imaging examination.

RAMIC understands what you are going through. And we promise that we will do everything we can to help you feel calm and comfortable during your time with us.


When your doctor decides you need an imaging examination, his office will schedule the examination for you or provide you with the necessary information to make the appointment yourself.

Before your exam, you may want to stop by our offices to see the equipment and meet the staff; it may help you feel more comfortable when the day of your examination arrives. Just give us a call and we'll be happy to show you around.

RAMIC staff will call you in advance to confirm the appointment and indicate how early we need you to arrive that day.


When preparing for the day, put on comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. If you are having an MRI examination of the brain, avoid make-up, excessive hair spray and gel, and hair extensions.

Please leave at home the following items because they can interfere with or be damaged by the MRI scanner's magnetic field:

• coins
• credit cards
• dentures
• electronic devices
• glasses
• hair pins
• jewelry and watches
• keys
• any other metal objects

Before your leave for your appointment, don't forget to write down your RAMIC location's directions, address, and contact information to take with you for the drive.

Also, remember to bring your current insurance card or insurance documentation, as well as any information from prior imaging examinations. You can also bring a tape or CD to listen to during your exam. When you arrive, we will need you to tell us about your medical history, including any medications you are taking and allergies you may have.

After you've checked in for your examination, a registered MRI technologist will talk you through the entire examination process and answer any questions you may have before you get started. Also, he or she may ask you to change into a hospital gown.


First, the technologist will ask you to lie down on a padded table and will move the MRI machine over the area that it will scan. The technologist will ask you to breathe normally and remain still throughout the examination. You are welcome to have a friend or loved one sit with you throughout the exam.

During the examination, you will hear a faint knocking sound that is sometimes compared to a drum beat. This noise is cause by a change in the scanner's magnetic field. It is a normal sound; there is no reason to worry. In fact, the sound is so quiet that you can still easily listen to your favorite music on CD or tape on the headphones RAMIC will give you for the examination.

For some examinations, you may need a “contrast agent.” A contrast agent is given through an injection, or shot. Contrast agents help the doctors better see certain parts of your body.

While the MRI examination proceeds, you can see the technologist—and the technologist can see you—at all times. Also, an intercom system is built into the imaging system so that you can talk with the technologist throughout the examination.

How long will it take? It depends. Different MRI examinations take a different amount of time depending on the type of MRI examination your doctor has ordered. Feel free to contact the center to determine how long your examination will take.


Even if you receive a contrast agent, you can eat immediately after your exam. If you've had a contrast agent, drink plenty of fluids after the exam to help flush out the contrast material.

After the examination, a board-certified radiologist with advanced training in MRI will look at your scan and will give your doctor a report on the results. Your regular doctor will call you to talk about what the examination found.