MRI Imaging Services | Bellingham, WA

How MRI Works | What and Who MRI is Used For | MRI Preparation | What to Expect | After Your MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging — which is more commonly known as an MRI — is a safe and painless way for you and your doctor to get a really detailed picture of your organs and other structures inside your body.

An MRI scan creates a 3D picture of the inside of your body. Because these images include details of softer tissues, MRI is often used to look for disease or infection, examine your organs and check for soft-tissue damage in your joints throughout your body — from your head to your toes.

When you choose Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging for your MRI imaging center and services, you can rest easy knowing a radiologist will evaluate your MRI results with specialty training directly related to your exam. Your MRI will help you and your doctor get answers about what is going on inside you to make a treatment plan.

How MRI works

MRI uses a strong magnetic field to temporarily line up the protons in the hydrogen atoms in your body. The MRI machine will send specially tuned radio wave pulses to the area being imaged.

How those radio waves bounce — or resonate — off your hydrogen atoms is interpreted by a computer. The computer turns this information into highly detailed images of the inside of your body.

The images are taken in layers, almost like really thin slices of bread. The slices can even be taken in any direction. This helps your radiologist examine the body part being evaluated in extremely great detail to make an accurate diagnosis.

What and who MRI is used for

Because MRI creates a very detailed picture without using ionizing radiation, it can be used to image many areas of the body. It’s also safe for repeated images.

Some of the most common MRIs Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging have done include:

Brain and spine
Joints and extremities
Abdominal and pelvic organs
Blood vessels

Most people are able to have an MRI. If you have an implanted device — such as a pacemaker — or other metal in your body, a CT exam would be your safest alternative. Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging serves MRI patients age 13 and older.

As with any medical imaging, your doctor can talk in detail with you about any concerns you have. Feel free to contact Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging with your questions at (360) 255-6330.

How to prepare for an MRI

Because MRI uses an incredibly strong magnet, it’s vital that you let your doctor, as well as Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging, know if you have any metal implants or medical devices in your body. These might include:

Pacemaker, artificial heart valve, or stent
Screws, plates, staples, or pins
Artificial limbs or joints
Stimulators
Continuous glucose monitors (these will need to be removed for your scan)

An MRI exam cannot be used with certain types of implants, so it is important you speak with us and the doctor who ordered your MRI so we can work together to find out if MRI is right for you.

Also stop and think: Do you have any other foreign metal in your body? Maybe shrapnel or a long-lost BB? Let us know.

Any metal on your body or clothing will be pulled — hard — by the MRI magnet as soon as you enter the room. It’s critically important to remove all metal before you even enter the room. This includes:

Jewelry, watches, and body piercings
Removable dental work
Hairpins, clasps, and bungies that have metal clips
Clothing with metal zippers, rivets, or charms
Pens, coins, and knives from pockets
Eyeglasses and hearing aids

As with any medical exam, we request that you leave your valuables at home.

If we need you to do anything special to prepare for your exam, we will let you know at the time of scheduling.

What to expect during an MRI

Before your MRI at Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging, we’ll make sure you don’t have any metal on your body or clothing. You will be asked to change into a gown or scrubs before your imaging examination.

The MRI machine looks like a tube. You’ll lie down on the MRI table, which will slide into the tube, which contains the magnet.

If you have any concerns about tight spaces, let us know right away. We are happy to talk to you in detail about what to expect. You can arrange to see the MRI room in advance. We will do everything we can to ease your worries.

Depending on the type and location of your MRI, your doctor may ask for images using contrast. Contrast is a dye delivered intravenously. It is a diluted solution of gadolinium that highlights disease or abnormalities.

If your doctor has ordered images with contrast, you may feel a little prick as your IV gets started. Nothing else with an MRI is painful.

Before your MRI, one end of your body will be moved into the tube. Which end depends on the type of MRI exam.

As the MRI begins, you’ll hear some thumping. This is the magnet doing its work. It’s important that you hold very still.

MRI involves a series of imaging procedures. Your MRI technologist will be able to speak to you through an intercom between the sections of your MRI. You can even request music to listen to during the MRI.

MRI can take 30 minutes or longer, depending on the type of images needed. It’s important to us that you’re as comfortable as possible. Let us know if you need a blanket or a cushion.

After your MRI

Once the MRI machine has done its job, you’ll be able to head home right away. In the meantime, a specialty-trained Bellingham Advanced Medical Imaging radiologist will review the images created by the MRI computer. They’ll examine each of the many layers of your MRI scan and create a results report that will be sent to your doctor.

Your provider will follow up with you about anything that was found and if any treatment or additional imaging is needed.

Please contact our MRI team at (360) 255-6330 with any questions or concerns.