Hip MRI for teenage son: head first or feet first?

[Cantstopeatingjaffacakes]

My 15 year old DS is due to have an MRI of his hip in a couple of weeks and he’s very nervous about the process. Does anyone know which direction you go in when it’s for a hip? I thought they were all head first but the leaflet said it can be head or feet first depending on what they are scanning.

I’m trying to reassure him that it won’t be that bad (I fell asleep when I had my brain one after a suspected TIA),

When I had an MRI for my hip, it was feet first.

i had an MRI for my hip and it was head first.

I’ve had them both ways round. To be honest, it doesn’t make much difference. The bit they are scanning needs to be central in the scanner, so if you’re scanning the hip then the whole body is going to be in . His head will probably be near an end, so he should be able to see out a bit. There’s also a periscope mirror thingy they give you at ours if you’re a bit panicky and claustrophobic. I had a few MRIs recently and there was a new scanner which was bigger than the old one so not as claustrophobic in the first place.

I was head first for my hip

I had a hip MRI and went in head

Thanks all - will prepare him for head first.

Tell him to close his eyes before he goes in and to not open them again while he is in there. The noise is oddly relaxing I find!

Eyes closed from start to finish.

Make sure he’s got a sweatshirt and warm socks. I was freezing during an mri and wriggled. And it had to be done again.

My kid was only 7 but it was feet. I was allowed to be there, might be worth asking as I don't know what the cut off age is.

We usually scan feet first for hips, but it depends on the site. If a patient is nervous then they should be able to do it feet first, so it's alway worth asking.

As the area that's being scanned needs to be right in the middle he will still end up in the same kind of position either way, most likely with his head just by the edge of the scanner depending on how tall he is.

I was offered a sleep mask that I was happy to use. I also had a valium from my GP to help.

Warm him of the noise honestly i thought it was broken when it started up

I went in head first for hip MRI. Was given an eye mask, headphones with music and ear defenders. It made a weird noise and my wedding ring vibrated / went slightly warm. Breathing exercises and music helped. Good luck.

Could you phone the department hat you are going to and ask them?

Had 3 MRI’s on my hip although I am an adult and all been feet first

agree, I have one on Friday for pelvic pain, she said feet first but also that it's a wide bore one, open at both ends.

I went in head first. Ask for the mirror glasses before he goes in as then he will be able to see out the whole time.

If you tell them he is nervous they will put him in feet first. The staff I've encounted have always been lovely. Keep your eyes closed throughout. It is noisy but you have headphones on & they talk to you through them.

If he’s anxious they can scan him feet first, and you can go in and sit with him if it’ll help him. We are completely used to reassuring anxious patients, just tell the staff, no one will mind.

Thank you. I’ll try calling them tomorrow - not sure why I didn’t think to do that!

I think he’ll be fine once he’s actually in there, it’s just the thought of it that’s scary for him.

In a children's hospital or a normal MRI unit? Childrens will have something set up to distract them, often a video. If it's a normal one and hes worried Im sure them team will try to do feet first if they can, so ask.
Warn him they are noisy, clanks and bangs and buzzes but thats all normal noises.

Definitely call and ask. It's also possible to ask to be in there too.

I had a mirror placed in front of my head so I could see a screen behind that played a calming video of trees and lovely scenery. So I didn’t feel enclosed at all. The screen had a bar that went along the bottom so I could see the progress and how long I had left.
Also had headphones that played calming music throughout.
It was no where near as awful an experience as I was led to believe.

I thought that about my first MRI but I made the mistake of opening my eyes on the way in. Now I always ask for the mirror glasses before I go in (I need them regularly).