# MRI noise - Why do they have to be so F\*CKIN' LOUD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124 "2009-06-18T00:20:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_York](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_York](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_York)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/21 "2013-11-22T22:18:44Z")
> [@Ionizer](#): > > **Duke of York** : > > Former MRI tech here - and the simple answer is that the metal ring in/on aorta or wherever would likely experience a torque/twisting-effect when the person is placed within the field (which is always ‘on’). > Hope I made some sense… Thanks, you made perfect sense, I suppose the doctors will have to make do with CT scans. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/22 "2013-11-22T23:03:35Z")
> [@bunyupp](#): > > When I recently had an MRI, I kept thinking, “a lot of this sounds like early Pink Floyd or Tangerine Dream!” Some local MRI clinics\* are offering to let you bring in your own CD to listen to during the procedure. Probably will soon be offering to plug in your own digital music player! So you could have Pink Floyd, or classical, or whatever. ("Sorry doctor, but I was listening to the soundtrack of a porn movie, and some parts of my body moved on their own.) - there are several around here, and fairly open competition between them for patient’s business. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/23 "2013-11-22T23:43:20Z")
I just had an MRI on Monday and it was fine. It was an “open” MRI so no tube. Instead I lay between two large horizontal discs. Imagine a 10’ McD’s hamburger bun with me as the all beef patty 🙂 Ok now that you have that image seared in your brain… The nurse asked me the name of a favorite artist and turned on Pandora. I got to listen to John Prine, The Band and some other very nice music. It was quite relaxing and painfully loud. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/24 "2013-11-23T00:42:31Z")
Yesterday I walked past a MRI trailer (portable MRI facility) and heard the distinct sound of a klaxon from inside. You bet I picked up my pace considering what those magnets can do! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/25 "2013-11-23T00:44:26Z")
> [@Dorjan](#): > > It probably wouldn’t be pretty. An example of what happens when metal is present during MRI operation: > > [SimplyPhysics - Safety / Flying Objects](http://www.simplyphysics.com/flying_objects.html) I like the image titled “Chair 2”! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/26 "2013-11-23T01:54:14Z")
Steophan \>I’ve heard anecdotes about people with, er, “intimate” piercings that they didn’t mention because they were there with their parents who didn’t know about them, and major problems coming from that. Don’t know if it’s actually true though, but I can’t imagine it would be comfortable. Firstly, what the fuck is the parent of a teen doing inside the MRI suite? I can not imagine the parent being allowed past the waiting room. And secondly, what keeps them from mentioning it once they are locked in the MRI suite with the parent sitting out in the waiting room? Or am I alone in not dragging my mom around with me into exam suites? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124/27 "2013-11-23T09:52:35Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Steophan \>I’ve heard anecdotes about people with, er, “intimate” piercings that they didn’t mention because they were there with their parents who didn’t know about them, and major problems coming from that. Don’t know if it’s actually true though, but I can’t imagine it would be comfortable. > > Firstly, what the fuck is the parent of a teen doing inside the MRI suite? I can not imagine the parent being allowed past the waiting room. And secondly, what keeps them from mentioning it once they are locked in the MRI suite with the parent sitting out in the waiting room? > > Or am I alone in not dragging my mom around with me into exam suites? I don’t know, as I said they’re anecdotes, and could well just be scare stories. Were it to happen though, it would be at minimum very uncomfortable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mri-noise-why-do-they-have-to-be-so-f-ckin-loud/500124.md?page=1)