# Why no sedation for MRIs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 13, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556 "2006-04-13T18:40:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/21 "2006-04-14T16:02:02Z")
> [@Sal Ammoniac](#): > > You know, there’s all this talk of claustrophobia with relation to MRI machines, but it seems to me only a tiny percentage of people are claustrophobic – right? I have had a number of MRIs for experimental purposes and the technicians say that about 10% of people have a claustrophobic reaction. Most of the people were not aware they were claustrophobic before entering the machine, which sucked for the MRI people because even if they freaked out and had to leave the researchers still have to pay them. Strangely enough despite having a number of phobias I have no reaction whatsoever to an MRI. Wouldn’t the sedation make the brain wave patterns look different than if you went in “cold,” thereby affecting the results? I’m thinking about the cognitive tasks I had to do while in the machine; my response time would have been lowered if I was sedated. They made a point of saying you could take nothing before going in, not even Tylenol, since it might affect results, so wouldn’t that also be true for a diagnostic test? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/22 "2006-04-14T16:41:37Z")
I like MRIs. The last one I had was so restful! No pager going off, no phone ringing, no interruptions! I was sorry it lasted such a brief time. I can understand why folks would freak out, though. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/23 "2006-04-14T16:47:46Z")
> [@davenportavenger](#): > > Wouldn’t the sedation make the brain wave patterns look different than if you went in “cold,” thereby affecting the results? I’m thinking about the cognitive tasks I had to do while in the machine; my response time would have been lowered if I was sedated. They made a point of saying you could take nothing before going in, not even Tylenol, since it might affect results, so wouldn’t that also be true for a diagnostic test? It sounds like you may have been given a [functional MRI](http://www.fmri.org/fmri.htm), which attempts to scan actual brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow. However, many different sorts of [medical MRI scans](http://radiologyinfo.org/sitemap/modal-alias.cfm?modal=MR) are simply trying to make detailed images of soft tissue, so they can spot tumors, blockages, and other physical abnormalities. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/24 "2006-04-14T23:38:44Z")
Sedating a patient has several risks, and doctors will avoid it unless it’s necessary. For most people, it isn’t. Even people who are claustrophobic can often withstand it for the short time of an MRI scan. And when it is needed, they do not fully sedate a patient like they would for surgery. Minor, ‘calming’ drugs (Valium is common) are used. The patient is fully awake and concious, just calmed down so their fears are inhibited. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/25 "2006-04-15T04:43:02Z")
I’m agoraphobic. I love MRIs. I was awake for my appendectomy too. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/26 "2006-04-15T13:35:36Z")
You should try keeping people still for fMRIs, or functional MRIs. Those can last an hour and a half, and you can’t even move between runs. Some places will give people a bite bar that the person chomps down on to keep their head still. We just pack pillows next to your head. It’s actually quite cozy if you’re not claustrophobic. Because a 1 to 1.5 hour run is so expensive, though, if people think they might have a problem we put them in the mock scanner first. It’s an old scanner that’s been emptied of all the real stuff and the subject wears headphones that simulate the sounds of a scan. For kids we have goggles that play a movie - when they move their head, the movie stops for a second. It’s a good way of training them not to move. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/27 "2006-04-15T13:40:12Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > I like MRIs. The last one I had was so restful! No pager going off, no phone ringing, no interruptions! I was sorry it lasted such a brief time. > > I can understand why folks would freak out, though. Are you sure they turned it on? 🙂 The knocking and clanking from the the…whatever is knocking and clanking “chug chug chug chug…KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK” is…not relaxing. Most of my MRI’s have been about 23 minutes and by the end I’m just barely able to hold it together. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/28 "2006-04-15T14:48:44Z")
The 10% figure comes out about right in my experience. Also the fact that many of them aren’t completely aware of the problem before sliding into the scanner. As **MEBuckner** said, most often we’re looking for soft tissue structures so conscious sedation doesn’t interfere with anything. I’ve had two MRIs. I wish I could say that sleeping through them was a possibility, but I’d more likely fall asleep to a nice cell phone ring tone than the buzzing and banging of the MRI. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/29 "2006-04-15T14:49:21Z")
Last time I was in an MRI I took a nap. I also know of one piece of music that was written after the composer had been in an MRI. Besides, it could be worse. They could suspend you upright and shoot you up and down a pneumatic tube. Actually, that sounds like fun. ---
**Author:** ![Tamryne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tamryne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamryne)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/30 "2006-04-15T17:31:53Z")
I had an MRI when I was around that boy’s age, or possibly even younger (7). It was on my head too, so my head was strapped in to the point that I couldn’t have moved it if I wanted, and I was sedated. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/31 "2006-04-15T17:58:43Z")
> [@tiny ham](#): > > Are you sure they turned it on? 🙂 The knocking and clanking from the the…whatever is knocking and clanking “chug chug chug chug…KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK” is…not relaxing. That’s just white noise. Music to my ears. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/32 "2006-04-15T18:07:28Z")
I don’t watch House, so I don’t know how old the kid was, but my son had an MRI when he was 3 without sedation. I held his hand and his dad kept his hands around his ankles and he played “statue”. He fell asleep about halfway through and came out all drooly and sweaty, like he always did after his nap. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/33 "2006-04-17T12:00:58Z")
> [@tiny ham](#): > > Are you sure they turned it on? 🙂 The knocking and clanking from the the…whatever is knocking and clanking “chug chug chug chug…KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK” is…not relaxing. “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! - tear up the planks! - here, here! - it is the beating of his hideous heart!” ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/34 "2006-04-17T15:53:49Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You have to be awake, to make sure they don’t remove anything else while they’re down there. If I go that route (rather than Mrs. Butler having tubes tied), and they remove anything that is supposed to be there AFTER the procedure, I HAD BETTER BE SEDATED TO A STUPOR, or the Dr. is going to have some procedures of his own in the very near future! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556/35 "2006-04-18T17:28:01Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Forget MRIs; who’s the sadistic bastard whos thinks it’s OK to not sedate someone who’s getting a vasectomy? :eek: Sure, you don’t _feel_ anything due to the local anesthetic, but why do you have to be cognizant of it at all? ::shudder:: I was sedated for my vasectomy, but I was also having a double-triple hernia (3 on each side) repaired at the time. As I said to the doctor, “…you know, while you’re down there…” (BTW, I do not recommend having both procedures done at the same time.) As for no sedation during surgery, last year I had retinal surgery (including a vitrectomy) done w/o anesthesia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-sedation-for-mris/352556.md?page=1)