# Ever had an MRI? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2015, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871 "2015-09-28T20:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/61 "2015-10-01T05:42:23Z")
I’ve had 3, all for the brain, and the 2nd and 3rd were at successively higher energies for better slices and resolution. No contrast. It’s a little claustrophobic, but like **Rick** I simply closed my eyes and got into a zone and just relaxed. Tried to take a nap, and came close to napping. I did not feel any pulsing but the sounds were a little weird. Anyway, they weren’t that big of a deal. I just followed directions so as to not screw it up and have to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/62 "2015-10-01T21:00:11Z")
[QUOTE=Blue Blistering Barnacle] They do make one that permits upright scanning. In theory, the scans are more physiologic, but there are other sacrifices. Great for research and niche applications. [http://www.fonar.com/index.htm](http://www.fonar.com/index.htm) [/QUOTE] Not sure what you mean by “physiologic” but an upright MRI made the difference for me as it showed my L5 vertebra was unstable and moving. On a regular horizontal scan, it looked fine. Yes, the resolution is less and after a while, it gets warm in there, but being able to see how things move when they shouldn’t move is well worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Arabella\_Flynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@Arabella\_Flynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arabella_Flynn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/63 "2015-10-03T01:39:51Z")
I had an fMRI a few years ago, as part of a research study. An MRI tube isn’t topping my list of comfortable places to play stimulus-matching games, but it wasn’t all that objectionable either. The only part that made me nervous was that I’d come straight from the library, and had to walk through a door that warned me of a 3T magnetic field in a very large font, with a laptop, to check in. Left the bag in the admin office, and both the computer and I came out of it fine. Next time I volunteer, I’m going to try for a study at Harvard instead of Brigham and Women’s. Harvard puts right on the recruitment flyer that your compensation will be some amount of dollars _and pictures of your brain!_ They clearly know their audience. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/64 "2015-10-03T03:03:24Z")
> [@Arabella\_Flynn](#): > > …snip… > > Next time I volunteer, I’m going to try for a study at Harvard instead of Brigham and Women’s. Harvard puts right on the recruitment flyer that your compensation will be some amount of dollars _and pictures of your brain!_ They clearly know their audience. Someone once told me of a study once where they put your brain on a t-shirt for you if you were a subject. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/65 "2015-10-03T15:08:04Z")
I had one recently on my wrist, and at certain times I experienced the pulsing/throbbing thing described in the op. In my case it was a sensation that my thumb wanted to move. I don’t think it actually moved, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/66 "2015-10-03T15:47:06Z")
I had one years ago, and it didn’t bother me at all except for being boring. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/67 "2015-10-04T19:45:46Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I had one recently on my wrist, and at certain times I experienced the pulsing/throbbing thing described in the op. In my case it was a sensation that my thumb wanted to move. I don’t think it actually moved, though. Somewhat off-topic, but I had an “evoked potential” test\* on my hands and feet a few years back where the electrical stimulus had my thumbs moving. It was pretty bizarre. And recently I was being monitored after a minor procedure, and they had to move the BP cuff to my forearm instead of upper arm. I was on my left side, and as I was coming out of the sedation, I heard them saying they were having trouble reading the BP so the cuff had to be moved - I said clearly “I’m not dead, I swear it!” which got a laugh. Anyway, as the cuff inflated, I could feel the fingers on that hand curling up. Clearly it was pressing a nerve or tendon or something. - “some discomfort” my ass - that thing HURT! ---
**Author:** ![truthSeeker2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@truthSeeker2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthSeeker2)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871/68 "2015-10-05T07:08:20Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I had an MRI to determine whether or not I’m claustrophobic - Steven Wright. haha…I found it out while having MRI too and then had the MRI in unconscious state after general anesthesia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-had-an-mri/732871.md?page=3)