Breast Cancer Health Center

How To Prepare

Tell your doctor and the MRI technologist if you:

• Have a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), artificial limb, any metal parts in your body, tattooed eyeliner or metallic-based tattoos, or any other implanted medical device, such as a medicine infusion pump. Also, tell your doctor if you have worked around metal or if you have recently had surgery on a blood vessel. In some cases you may not be able to have the MRI test.
• Are or might be pregnant.
• Become very nervous in confined spaces. You need to lie very still inside the MRI scanner, so you may need to have the test done with an open MRI machine that is not as confining as standard MRI machines, or you may need medicine to help you relax.
• Have allergies, especially to any medicines.
• Have asthma.
• Wear any medicine patches. The MRI may cause a burn at the patch site.
• Have other health problems, such as kidney problems or sickle cell anemia. Contrast material cannot be used with some health problems.

Arrange to have someone take you home after the test in case you are given a medicine (sedative) to help you relax.

You may need to sign a consent form that says you understand the risks of an MRI and agree to have the test done. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).

How It Is Done

An MRI of the breast is usually done by an MRI technologist. A radiologist usually studies the pictures to look for problems. But some other types of doctors may also do this.

Before the test

You will need to remove all metal objects (such as hearing aids, dentures, jewelry, watches, and hairpins) from your body because these objects may be attracted to the powerful magnet used for the test. If there is a possibility that you have metal fragments in your eyes from an accident or a surgery or because you work around metal, an X-ray or a CT scan will be done before the MRI to see if any metal is present. An X-ray or CT may also be done if there is a concern about metal fragments in your head or spine.

You will need to take off your clothes above the waist. You will be given a gown to cover your shoulders during the test. Empty your pockets of any coins and cards (such as credit cards or ATM cards) with scanner strips on them because the MRI magnet may erase the information on the cards.

During the test