Get answers to common questions parents have about MRI scans, and get advice on preparing you and your child.
This article answers some of the most common questions parents and caregivers have when they find out their child needs an MRI.
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It is a type of scan that uses a magnetic field to take pictures of the inside of the body. It does not use radiation (unlike x-rays and CT scans). The MRI scanner is a big machine, about the size of a 3-seater sofa, with a hollow tunnel running through the middle – a bit like a giant donut on its side. There is a bed running through the middle of the scanner where the patient lies.
MRI scans give detailed pictures of the inside of the body - much more detail than other scans (e.g. x-rays, CT scans or ultrasound). MRIs are especially good at imaging the spine, brain, and joints. Doctors can use the information from an MRI scan to help make a diagnosis or plan treatment. MRIs are considered to be a very safe for most patients - the scanner does not touch the patient’s body and it does not hurt.
MRIs do not hurt and can be done with the patient fully awake. However, some children will be given medicine to relax or send them to sleep for the scan - a sedative or anasthetic. This is because MRIs take a long time (about 30 minutes – 1 hour) and the child must lie very still so that the pictures the scanner takes are clear. The scanner machine makes a lot of noise when it is working and some children can be very sensitive to this.
The MRI scan happens in a special MRI scanner room in the radiology department. Metal is not allowed in the scanner room so patients are checked to make sure they have no loose metal on them. Parents are sometimes allowed to stay in the scanner room with their child (if the child is awake) but this is not always possible.
The scanner machine is operated by a radiographer – a healthcare professional trained in performing scans. The radiographer helps to position the patient on the scanner bed. They control the scanner machine from the next door room, which has a window into the scanner room so they can see the patient. When the patient is lying comfortably the radiographer presses a button and the scanner bed slowly moves into the middle of the tunnel.
The scanner machine makes a loud banging noise when it is working and sometimes this makes the bed vibrate slightly. When the scan has finished the bed slowly moves out of the tunnel and the noise stops. The images are sent to a doctor specially trained in reading scan images (radiologist) who then sends a detailed report to the patient’s doctor.
You can speak to your doctor when booking the appointment and ask any questions. Your child might have questions too, so it is helpful to talk to them about what is happening. Little Journey can help you to talk to your child about their MRI, without making them more nervous.
Your hospital may already have the Little Journey app. This will give you access to more quick-read information articles, and virtual tours so you can explore the hospital before your child's MRI. There's also fun games and relaxation activities you can use on the day.
Our free resources are packed with helpful information and engaging activities to provide support every step of the way—before, during, and after your visit.
Download your copies from our resource library.
Insights by Phil Anderton, Managing Director, ADHD 360, in conversation with Sophie Copley, Co-Founder and CPO, Little Journey at HIMSS 23
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