General preparation for any MRI

An MRI is a non-invasive scan that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce detailed images of your body. Most patients can walk in, complete the scan, and walk out within an hour. The preparation checklist is short but important. Skipping any of it usually does not stop the scan, but it can delay you at the centre while paperwork is sorted.

Three things matter the most: do not bring metal into the scan room, tell the technician about any implants or medical devices you have, and arrive on time so the centre can run the safety checklist before your slot begins.

What to wear

Wear loose, comfortable clothes without metal zippers, buttons, or rivets. A cotton T-shirt and pyjama pants work well. Avoid jeans, jackets, and bras with metal underwires. If your clothes have metal, the centre will give you a gown to change into. Wear shoes that are easy to slip off.

What to remove before the scan

Before entering the scan room, remove all of the following items:

• Jewellery: chains, earrings, nose pins, bangles, mangalsutra, religious lockets
• Hair pins, hair clips, and hair ties with metal
• Watches, fitness bands, smart rings
• Hearing aids and removable hearing devices
• Dentures and orthodontic retainers
• Glasses and contact lenses (you can usually wear glasses if no metal is near the scan area)
• Any external medical devices including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors

Most centres provide a locker for personal valuables. Carry only essentials.

Medical history to disclose

Tell the technician and the radiologist about all of the following before the scan starts:

• Pacemaker, defibrillator, or any cardiac implant
• Cochlear implants and hearing implants
• Surgical clips or staples in the brain
• Artificial heart valves
• Drug delivery pumps and neurostimulators
• Any metal in the eye from previous injury or grinding work
• Shrapnel, bullet fragments, or any retained metal in the body
• Past surgeries with metal implants (knee, hip, spine)
• Pregnancy or possibility of pregnancy
• Breastfeeding (relevant only for contrast scans)
• Past contrast reaction or known allergy to gadolinium
• Kidney problems or recent serum creatinine results
• Severe claustrophobia

Most modern implants are safe in the MRI environment, but the technician will need to confirm. Carrying the implant card or the discharge summary from your previous surgery helps speed this up.

Food and water rules per scan type

Most plain MRI scans do not require fasting. You can eat normally and take your regular medications.

• Brain, Spine, Joint MRIs (plain): No fasting needed.
• Any MRI with contrast: Fast for 4 hours. Water is usually allowed up to 1 hour before.
• Whole Abdomen MRI or MRCP: Fast for 4 to 6 hours. Avoid water for 2 hours before to reduce gut movement.
• Cardiac MRI: Avoid caffeine for 24 hours before. Fasting depends on the protocol used by the centre.
• Pelvis MRI for prostate or bladder: The centre may ask you to drink water before the scan to fill the bladder. Follow the centre's specific instructions.

Take all your regular medications unless your doctor or the centre specifically tells you to skip a dose. Diabetes patients on metformin are often asked to skip the dose on the morning of a contrast scan.

For MRI scans with contrast

If contrast is part of your scan, the centre will ask for a recent serum creatinine or kidney function test result. Patients over 60, or those with diabetes, hypertension, or known kidney problems, must bring this report. The result should ideally be from within the last 30 days.

Drink water before the scan and after to help your kidneys flush out the contrast. Mild side effects like a metallic taste, brief warmth, or a cool sensation at the injection site are common and short-lived. Severe allergic reactions to gadolinium are rare. Tell the centre if you have ever had a reaction to MRI contrast or to other types of contrast (CT, angiogram).

For children

Children below the age of 6 often need light sedation to lie still during the scan. The centre's anaesthetist will examine the child before sedating. Older children can usually complete the scan with a parent in the scan room.

For sedated scans, the child must fast for the duration the anaesthetist specifies, usually 4 to 6 hours. Bring the child's favourite small comfort object and a change of clothes. Plan for at least 3 hours total at the centre.

For claustrophobic patients

Tell the centre at booking if you are claustrophobic. Several Guwahati centres run wide-bore 1.5T or 3T scanners which feel less enclosing than older machines. Some can offer mild oral sedation given by a doctor 30 minutes before the scan; you will need someone to drive you home afterwards.

Practical tips that work for many patients: visit the centre a day before to look at the machine, ask if a family member can stay in the scan room with you, request the music option many centres offer, practise slow breathing, and keep your eyes closed during the scan. The technician can talk to you throughout via an intercom.

Travel and timing in Guwahati

Plan to reach the centre 20 to 30 minutes before your slot to give time for paperwork and the safety checklist. Account for traffic, which is heaviest on GS Road between 9 and 11 AM and around Six Mile in the early evening. If you live in Maligaon or Lalmati and your scan is on the eastern side of the city, leave with a generous buffer.

If you are coming from outside Guwahati, the centres near Paltan Bazaar are close to the railway station, and Khanapara centres are close to the inter-state bus terminal. Several centres now offer home pickup and drop for patients who cannot travel comfortably.

What to bring on the day

• The doctor's prescription
• A valid photo ID: Aadhaar, driver's licence, or PAN
• Your insurance card if you are using cashless billing
• Any previous scan reports related to the body part being scanned
• Recent serum creatinine or kidney function report if contrast is planned
• Discharge summary or implant card if you have any metal implants
• A friend or family member if you are anxious or having sedation
• Your phone, but be prepared to keep it outside the scan room

Your booking confirmation SMS or email lists everything specific to your scan. Read it the night before so nothing is left for the morning.