I have to get an MRI roughly once a year to monitor a benign cyst and ensure it doesn't start to grow. My first experiences with MRI were okay. Certainly not pl

I have to get an MRI roughly once a year to monitor a benign cyst and ensure it doesn't start to grow. My first experiences with MRI were okay. Certainly not pleasant but not an issue. I can't even imagine actually falling asleep inside an MRI though. Last year I actually went the other direction. I was switched to a somewhat older MRI machine in a different building, apparently somehow "due to COVID." I thought the tunnel in the usual MRI machine was tight but this older model was even smaller. Also, due to COVID they insisted that I have on an N95 mask inside the machine, underneath the 'Magneto-like' helmet used to hold head position. I was able to complete the lengthy session but these changes were enough to trigger what I assume was some claustrophobia and it was not fun. It required maximum mental effort just to make it to the end. I just got the call from my doc to schedule this year's scan and apparently the same requirements are still in place although they are "hoping things get back to normal soon." I mentioned how challenging last year's scan was and he suggested we just defer it until Summer. I felt conflicted about this as I really don't want to be postponing diagnostics but damn, last year was pretty awful, so I went for the reschedule.