MRI with contrast?

[Eva_C]

Someone out there who can tell me what it´s like to have a cardiac MRI with contrast? I am going to have one in a week and are a little bit nervous. Did you get any side effects from the contrast or claustrophopia?

[Eva_C]

Hello again, wanted to send yet another big thanks for your encouragements! I did the test today and I did well, the staff was so kind and gave me a shot of diazepam before I got the dye. I was nervous at first but then I went to think it all was pretty exiting. I did not feel much of the dye, just a warm sensation and a funny taste in my mouth. I did not have problems with claustrophobia either. Now I feel so releaved. Just have to wait for the answer...

[itdood]

I had cardiac MRI with contrast back in sep 2009.  

They will hook up the IV.  When you get into the MRI they will attach the PVC line to the IV from a remote pump.

Then they'll hook up a cloth belt around your waist, this is to time your respiration.  They will also hook up a 12 lead EKG.  The pictures need to be timed to the milisecond with your heart cycle and respiration to get good pics.  They also placed headphones on me with music.  Then a goofy looking anetenna is palced on your chest.  After all that they will slide you back into the MRI.

They had a bright light shining in from the back and a fan blowing gentle air through the bore over me.  This relaxed me, I can get very anxious but I got through it just fine.  My MRI was a bit slower than most so it took around two hours to complete all the pics.  There was a lot of breath holding throughout which was instructed by the tech over the headphones.

They had to drip the IV to keep the vein open.  This was a lot of fluid.  The die part didn't take place until towards the end.  When it went it I didn't notice anything odd at all other then the warmed fluid going in.  

I advise don't drink any fluids before you go.  NO CAFFEINE.  bladder empty.  Even though I did this I still needed to pee really bad at about the 1 hour mark because they were dripping me with fluid the entire time to keep the vein open.  But then again, it was rather distracting trying to hold it!

If I can get through it anyone can.  You;ll be fine.

[Eva_C]

That cloth don´t sound so nice but I have bensodiazepines so I hope I can handle that. Most worried about the dye, I am terrified about getting an allergic reaction in that tube...
Thank you both for sharing your experience!

[Mom2four85]

I had a CTA and Cardiac MRI back in August 2009, I found out then I was claustrophic (sp). but didn't have any problems with the dye on either one.  I was in the hospital at the time so I had no clue what to expect and no one explained it to me until they were ready to put me through.

For the MRI you lay on a table and they put a wedge under your legs and cover you then strap your hands/legs in so you can't move much.  Then they push you through to the other side and put headphones on with music and a wash cloth over your face - this freaked me out so I told them to take it off.

You go through about an hour - 1 1/2 hours of sequences of taking deep breaths and holding your breath then relaxing; while the machine takes pictures (which is extremely loud).  

The better you do with deep breathing and holding your breath, the quicker the test is.  If you have a problem breathing you can start now by deep breathing and seeing how long you can hold your breath - my sequences were 10-20 seconds long each time.

Also, if you think you have a problem with space confinement, you could ask your dr for a Xanax or something similar to help you relax during the test.

[curmudgen]

If it is anything like a CT scan with contrast - the waiver form for the dye injection had too many side effects listed so don't read the fine print.   Did feel a slight warm sensation when dye was injected.  If you are not claustrophobic to begin with it's not a big deal...CT scan only lasted 15 minutes.  Just relax when they do it.