Brains....

[Tom]

I had an MRI scan today, to try and find why I've had tinnitus these last few months.

Bloody scary things, using the power of science to look inside my head. They're also surprisingly noisy, the lady gave me some headphones and I listened to the radio while the machine did it's thing for about 8 minutes.

I was a bit scared that I'd forgotten about some lump of metal in my head or nose that the machine would rip out through my face, but thankfully no such metal existed.

Anyone else had their head probed?

 

[throdgrain]

I have tinitus in both ears, have had for ages

I suspect it could have something to do with 25 years of motorbikes with straight-through exhausts, shotguns, and Motorhead

 

[Trem]

Lester had a brain scan then they sliced a big chunk out not long after.

He now has the power to see 37 seconds into the past.

 

[Chilly]

My mum used to write firmware for those *****. FOR SCIENCE!

 

[Scouse]

Anyone else had their head probed?

Nah. Had my legs probed - took about 20 minutes. They are bloody loud though aren't they!

Got metal in my ankles now - I wonder what would happen if you did have metal in your body before MRI action?

 

[tris-]

i had a brain mri in may.

apparently ive got one.

 

[Scouse]

i had a brain mri in may.

apparently ive got one.

Wow! You've got an mri scanner?!

 

[TdC]

my mum had one recently. she also said the machines are noisy as fook o0

 

[Will]

I thought this was going to be about zombies.

 

[phazey]

I remember taking my eldest son for an MRI at GOSH. Noisy for sure. Because of his condition he had to be sedated, and alas woke up half way into the scan - not a nice experience for all of us.

 

[rynnor]

I thought this was going to be about zombies.

Heh - me too actually - probably means we have watched too many zombie films

 

[Dark Orb Choir]

they sound like a washing machine that is overloaded trying to start the spin cycle


bang bang bang

 

[SheepCow]

I wonder what would happen if you did have metal in your body before MRI action?

It rips it out at very high speed and usually obliterates the multi-million pound MRI machine

 

[Scouse]

It rips it out at very high speed and usually obliterates the multi-million pound MRI machine

Vid please

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Nah.
Got metal in my ankles now - I wonder what would happen if you did have metal in your body before MRI action?

It kinda depends on how long the metal has been in there and what sort of tissue it is attached to.

The metal in your legs, by which I guess you mean some sort of orthopaedic fixation of a broken bone, is just fine, it is very well attached and the magnet would not be strong enough to move it. They would avoid doing an MRI for a couple of months after the operation though just in case.

With the more powerful magnets you might well feel some heating in the metal though.

The metal that is of most concern is anything that is in soft tissues. Most commonly bits of metal in the eyes of welders and other metal workers, these can easily move and cause damage to the retina and blindness. Also old fashioned metal clips that are used to treat bulging blood vessels in the brain, if they start moving you can die very quickly. Pace makers are also not allowed, even if the magnet didn't pull them out of the heart it would reprogram them and that wouldn't be good either

RB

 

[Arnie 2Tone]

I had two brain scans a couple of years ago, both about 30 minutes in length. They were looking for evidence of tumours/strokes/aneurysms etc, so it was a worrying period for me. After the first scan, the doctor came to my bed to tell me that they thought it was best if I had a second scan. My imagination was working overtime. The worst part was when I looked through the little periscope gizmo during the second scan, and I could see one of the techs in the control room with her hand over her mouth looking shocked. I damn near shat, but it turned out she was only yawning.

It was quite a surreal experience all in all. They're noisier than you expect, and although you get given headphones, the music is piped to them through a tube because the magnets in regular speakers would muck up the scan, so it sounds really distant and odd. Probably wouldn't have been quite so bad if the only musical choices hadn't been the best of the Eagles and the best of Simon & Garfunkel...

 

[rynnor]

Are the modern ones as loud as that scene from the excorcist where the little girl has an MRI scan?

 

[Edmond]

I have tinitus in my left ear, on anti-biotics atm to clear an infection, and then i have to see a hearing specialist. My ears have been bad for years though

My friend had to have a MRI and to tally freaked out inside with clostraphobia (sp) after about 10 mins

 

[sayward]

Two of my children have had scans. Scary but at least they show up everything. Is that the one that looks like a do-nut? I lose track as one of them had two different sorts.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

The do-nut is a CT scanner, using x-rays to make the pictures. It is quicker and quieter.

The MRI is a long tunnel and is very slow to get the images and very loud.

RB

 

[sayward]

Thanks, my daughter had both then.

 

[chipper]

i get ringing in my ears quite a lot if i concentrate on it tho it goes away after a minute or so is that tinnitus? if so should i see my doctor? its never caused me any problems just thought it was years of ear abuse by listening to loud music.

 

[Sar]

Anyone else had their head probed?

No, but I know a few people who should do....

 

[Cyradix]

Had a complete upper body scan a few months back.
They inject you with some kind of radioactive sugar solution and give you something to make you pee so the stuff leaves your body faster after the scan.
Problem is... the stuff starts the work rather quick so you're stuck in a metal tube for 45 minutes while the thing scans your body and you have to pee real bad...
Longest 45 minutes ever!!

 

[Scouse]

Are the modern ones as loud as that scene from the excorcist where the little girl has an MRI scan?

My one was...

 

[tris-]

the one i went in was very loud and the headphones didnt help much either. i could take my own cd though which was a bonus.