MRI Gynae/pelvis - what to expect?

[SandandSky]

I am going for a MRI of pelvis next week for endometriosis investigations and I am feeling so nervous!

The clinic haven’t been very forthcoming with information (they have been pretty poor from start to finish but unfortunately my hospital options are limited/none)

wondering if anyone can help me out with what to expect/top tips etc - just so I can calm the nerves a bit

Ta 💖

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MRIs are pretty straightforward. You will probably be asked to change into a gown, so bring as few valuables as possible although there will be a locker area. At the very least you will be asked to remove all clothing with any metal (zips, buttons, rivets etc) and all jewellery including piercings. You are likely to be able to leave on knickers.

you’ll then go into the mri room and lie down on a moveable table that slides in and out of a large tunnel, you can google images if that will help you. It can be claustrophobic, but for pelvic I’d expect them to put you in feet first so your head and arms will remain outside. You will be given earplugs and/or ear protectors that the operator can also use to speak to you. They’ll shift you around a bit in the table to get the position right.

The scan will take I’m guessing about 20mins for pelvic including setting up time. It’s very loud, an incessant beep beep beep at various pitches. you have to lie still throughout. But you will feel nothing and will not be restrained.

does that help at all. Happy to answer any specific questions.

Oh, and results will take a couple of weeks generally, it’s unlikely you’ll get them there and then as the operator will not be a gynaecologist

I've had two MRIs. But mine were brain and backbone. I had the dye injected for one of them but it wasn't too bad, I just sort of zoned out. I kept my eyes closed throughout and I had it done in Marseille so they just gave me ear protectors, I think. The listen to music option wasn't on offer.

The only thing that went wrong is that I wear my mum and dad's old engagement ring on my right middle finger which is too tight to get off and it blasted a diamond out of the setting.

There’s a bit of a funny part when they ask you to hold your breath or otherwise do strange breathing but it will pass.

On a scale of medical procedures that I've had done, it ranks much lower than going to the dentist for anything too complicated.

That said, I'm not claustrophobic in any way. No matter what happens OP, the radiographers will have seen it before.

Good luck x

As a side note, I've had CT scans as well and the dye injection sudden hot feeling doesn't happen with MRIs. (Or at least it didn't to me.) The radiographer who did one of my CT's was an absolute flamer of a French gay man and when he asked me, "Are you allergic to shellfish" I was quick enough to say, "Why? Are we going out to dinner tonight?"

He'd already set the tone by rearranging my lovely hospital gown and saying, "We're not at the Folies Bergères ma chérie."

Ooof thanks for this thread, I have a gynae MRI tomorrow morning and wasn't sure what to expect!

Good luck with yours 😊

Good luck to you, too.

I went for gynae MRI a few weeks ago. I made sure I wore clothes with no metal zips/fasteners eg trackie bottoms and t-shirt so was allowed to keep all my clothes on. Slid into scanner head first so only my lower legs and feet were left outside of the machine. I was given ear-defender headphones which blocked out some of the noise but it was still surprisingly loud. Claustrophobic tube but I kept my eyes closed for the whole duration which helped me to zone out and stay relaxed. The thing I wasn't expecting was to have a relatively heavy flat board placed on top of me - it reached from my chest to my thighs ( I think it was a form of "coil" to enhance the scanning process). It was quite an uncomfortable pressure on my boobs and that made it harder to lie still for the duration of the scan ( about 20minutes) so the only thing I'd have done differently if I had to have a repeat scan would be to ask to adjust the position of the board on my chest so it didn't press in such an uncomfortable place - not sure if it would have made a difference though. Try to stay mindful/ zone out if you can. Good luck.

Just to follow up that it went fine and to echo others in terms of procedure.
I got into scrubs and left my stuff in a locker, they put a canula in my arm and weighed me.
I got onto the bed and they put a board thing over me which was comfy as it was flexible and a blanket. Headphones with radio on
Then I went in, I was more apprehensive than I thought I would be but it was fine. Very noisy though!
Then halfway through they pulled me out and put buscapan through my canula which just gave me a dry mouth and wet eyes, and I had more done. Also a few bits where it told me to hold my breath.
I was surprised how long I was scanned for, it was probably a good 45 mins. But it was fine.
Then up and out, dressed and out of there.
I was more nervous than I thought I would be but it wasn't an unpleasant experience.
Hope yours goes well!

Glad it went well, or rather OK for you. If you are of the generation, like me, who willingly shut themselves in a burning iron lung machine aka tanning bed for thirty minutes or more at a time, everything is relative.

I would say that the feeling of being trapped is worse at the dentist's.

I didn't get the musical headphones or even a locker for my clothes. I just had to leave them in the changing cubicle which was left open. This was in Marseille, which is, allegedly, the crime capital of Europe but nobody wanted my stuff.

In the words of Dora The Explorer, "Oh yeah we did it!"

I have severe stage 4 endo and adenoymosis and I've had 2 MRIs for this. For me, both times have been 45 mins-1hr so just be prepared that they can be longer. Everyone above has covered the logistics. Both times I've had mine, the staff have been absolutely amazing and so helpful as I was beyond nervous and was claustrophobic but they are there with you the whole time and will talk you through things. Just speak up if you're struggling, they've heard it all before! I went in with leggings and a sports bra on with no underwiring and a soft tshirt so I was able to just wear this and not a gown which made me feel more comfortable. I had one at Christmas time last year and got to listen to Christmas tunes which was nice :) Just FYI, with endo and MRIs it does seem to be so dependent on who's reading the MRIs as well and you do need to chase for results quite often. Endo investigations and treatment can be a long haul so it's great you're in for your MRI! Good luck x

I had Buscopan and they couldn't change the music so I was tortured with smooth radio
It was fine, about 45 mins and just boring but I've had them before
They put a cage thing over my pelvis

MRI report came back as deep infiltrating stage 4 endo, adenomyosis and some big endometriomas
Hospital had an MDT meeting today so now I'm waiting to hear the plan and when they will operate

Oh and it was 4 weeks for the results
MRI was July and I'm still waiting for a surgery date, it's been a long haul and I'm under a specialist endo centre

I was (pleasantly) surprised how quickly I got the MRI appt.. three weeks from my appointment with the consultant.

I had been waiting a year to see the consultant and was getting very little information when trying to chase it up, but he seems pretty good now I’ve got my foot in the door. He explained things well. I also got the letter today with all of the information/forms etc so feel a bit more confident about what will happen. Appointment on Thursday.

I’ve been backwards and forwards to the GP for 11 years now, and it was the first time anyone would commit to saying yes this will be endo, so I’m just happy that I’m finally being seen!

Are you going to go for the excision for the endometriosis or the whole hysterectomy for endo and adeno? X

I had a pelvic MRI last month, mine was for fibroids.

Mine was with contrast, when I got there I just put my stuff in the locker- I didn’t need to get into a gown as I’d already made sure I didn’t have any metal on me or my clothing - wore leggings and t shirt with a soft cup slip on bra so there were no hooks doing it up, I then waited a while then was taken through to have a cannula put in then back to wait for a bit.

Then got called through, I had to lay on the bed with my legs slightly raised on a platform, had some head phones put on me and was given a buzzer to press if I needed them to stop. They then gave me some buscopan through the cannula as that can slow down the bowels and stop too much movement on the scan, then I went into the scanner feet first. I was worrying a bit about how far I’d be in it so had already thought ‘just close your eyes and don’t look until it’s done’ but did open them a split second and the scanner had literally stopped just level with my eyes.

They did about 10 minutes of various scans before stopping to take me out and inject the dye then back in for another 10 minutes or so. It was loud but the headphones muffled it, I compared it to my next door neighbours doing loud DIY that I can hear through the walls! Then it was cannula out and off I went.

Sorry I missed this! At the moment it’s border line. I’m booked in for their more conservative suggestion which was to excise all, unstick bowel and ovaries etc, remove bilateral endometriomas with likely removal of one ovary and also removal of both tubes. They will prob fit a coil for adeno at the same time. And move on to hysterectomy at a later date if that doesn’t work. I’m in two minds of whether it’s better to go straight to hysterectomy as well so hoping to chat to him again pre surgery x

Just a little update to say thank you so much for your advice - cosy clothes made it so much better and they had Spotify so I had the 100 greatest musicals playlist to accompany the clanging of the machine 😂

I saw the consultant today who confirmed adenomyosis so it was well worth it.

Wishing you all well and thank you again 🥰