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I just wanted to say that anyone who stays voluntarily inside of a working MRI machine for any extended amount of time should get a presidential model as Hero o

I just wanted to say that anyone who stays voluntarily inside of a working MRI machine for any extended amount of time should get a presidential model as Hero of Science (if this medal doesn't exist, will please the congress create it just for this guy?). The guy did willingly, for science, what for most people would be an unspeakable nightmare. Thank you, Sir!

dailykoder 2y ago
In MRIs I fall asleep faster than in most other places. I don't know why, but that's how it is
- sonofhans 2y ago
  Me too! They have to wake me up sometimes, so I can stay still :D
  - dailykoder 2y ago
    I remember when I had a brain scan, they put my head in some sort of fixture and I tried hard to stay awake. Then I fell asleep, noticed that my head is somehow trapped, woke up scared and twitched a lot. That was a really challenging scan
ericmcer 2y ago
I have only done 15mins at a stretch, but I did foam earplugs with noise cancelling headphones on top and it wasn’t too bad. I just pretended I was in some kind of sci-fi medical healing tube.
- iamtedd 2y ago
  How did you get noise cancelling headphones in an MRI? Don't they contain metal, as well as magnetic coils?
  - lostlogin 2y ago
    Siemens have some in R and D that are going to be $50k ish. The ones OP wore will likely have been the standard ones which pipe music though fish tank tubing.
    - iamtedd 2y ago
      Those ones they usually use in MRIs aren't noise cancelling though.
      - lostlogin 2y ago
        Not only that, they are horribly ineffective as hearing protective. Wear earplugs when getting an MRI scan.
lostlogin 2y ago
> for most people would be an unspeakable nightmare. Most don’t find it that bad, and many enjoy it. It’s a bit like meditation, no one interferes and the drone of the scanner sends them to sleep. It’s warm and comfortable. A significant number of first time patients have been told of the horrors of MRI and come pre-loaded with all sorts of misconceptions that helpful friends and family have passed on. I’m an MR tech - we scan about 40-50 body regions per day and have 2 time slots for sedation (should it be needed). On average we would use light sedation 1 or 2 patients a day. I’ve been a volunteer for optimising a few sequences this month, and recommend it.
- awad 2y ago
  Idk, all of that also feels a bit like being in a coffin for some, especially if you're going reasonably far into the tube. I do get the sleepiness bit, though personally would prefer it cooler.
  - lostlogin 2y ago
    Ask to be cooler - the airflow can be increased and depending on how compliant the tech is, the heating (SAR) can be reduced. A slightly longer, but cooler scan. Every scanner I’ve ever seen has an option for a mirror to see out, so that may be an option. Most magnets from the last 5 years are about 1.8m long, which helps. Some research magnets or older ones are a fair bit longer.
  - pinkmuffinere 2y ago
    Not saying I’m normal, but I really like sleeping in tight dark spaces. A couple times I’ve thought of building/buying a coffin-like thing specifically for sleeping in. The aversion is totally reasonable, just trying to say — for some people the coffin-ness is not a drawback
    - Freak_NL 2y ago
      Do you enjoy counting things? Like, obsessively? (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41422849 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41422849)
layer8 2y ago
People are wired differently, many (most?) don’t have a difficult time with MRI machines. I tend to find them relaxing. The only annoyance is that you’re not allowed to move the body part being scanned.
- blondin 2y ago
  indeed. i thought i didn't have any phobia until i had a single experience with an MRI machine with no sedation. i came out with mild claustrophobia that only time has been healing.
nullc 2y ago
I'm surprised to see so many people speaking negatively of the experience. I find being MRIed pleasant.

dailykoder 2y ago

In MRIs I fall asleep faster than in most other places. I don't know why, but that's how it is

sonofhans 2y ago
Me too! They have to wake me up sometimes, so I can stay still :D
- dailykoder 2y ago
  I remember when I had a brain scan, they put my head in some sort of fixture and I tried hard to stay awake. Then I fell asleep, noticed that my head is somehow trapped, woke up scared and twitched a lot. That was a really challenging scan

ericmcer 2y ago

I have only done 15mins at a stretch, but I did foam earplugs with noise cancelling headphones on top and it wasn’t too bad. I just pretended I was in some kind of sci-fi medical healing tube.

iamtedd 2y ago
How did you get noise cancelling headphones in an MRI? Don't they contain metal, as well as magnetic coils?
- lostlogin 2y ago
  Siemens have some in R and D that are going to be $50k ish. The ones OP wore will likely have been the standard ones which pipe music though fish tank tubing.
  - iamtedd 2y ago
    Those ones they usually use in MRIs aren't noise cancelling though.
    - lostlogin 2y ago
      Not only that, they are horribly ineffective as hearing protective. Wear earplugs when getting an MRI scan.

lostlogin 2y ago

> for most people would be an unspeakable nightmare. Most don’t find it that bad, and many enjoy it. It’s a bit like meditation, no one interferes and the drone of the scanner sends them to sleep. It’s warm and comfortable. A significant number of first time patients have been told of the horrors of MRI and come pre-loaded with all sorts of misconceptions that helpful friends and family have passed on. I’m an MR tech - we scan about 40-50 body regions per day and have 2 time slots for sedation (should it be needed). On average we would use light sedation 1 or 2 patients a day. I’ve been a volunteer for optimising a few sequences this month, and recommend it.

awad 2y ago
Idk, all of that also feels a bit like being in a coffin for some, especially if you're going reasonably far into the tube. I do get the sleepiness bit, though personally would prefer it cooler.
- lostlogin 2y ago
  Ask to be cooler - the airflow can be increased and depending on how compliant the tech is, the heating (SAR) can be reduced. A slightly longer, but cooler scan. Every scanner I’ve ever seen has an option for a mirror to see out, so that may be an option. Most magnets from the last 5 years are about 1.8m long, which helps. Some research magnets or older ones are a fair bit longer.
- pinkmuffinere 2y ago
  Not saying I’m normal, but I really like sleeping in tight dark spaces. A couple times I’ve thought of building/buying a coffin-like thing specifically for sleeping in. The aversion is totally reasonable, just trying to say — for some people the coffin-ness is not a drawback
  - Freak_NL 2y ago
    Do you enjoy counting things? Like, obsessively? (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41422849 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41422849)

layer8 2y ago

People are wired differently, many (most?) don’t have a difficult time with MRI machines. I tend to find them relaxing. The only annoyance is that you’re not allowed to move the body part being scanned.

blondin 2y ago
indeed. i thought i didn't have any phobia until i had a single experience with an MRI machine with no sedation. i came out with mild claustrophobia that only time has been healing.

nullc 2y ago

I'm surprised to see so many people speaking negatively of the experience. I find being MRIed pleasant.