MRI Preparations

- Metal: You will be asked before your MR exam if you have any metal in your body. Having metal in your body does not automatically disqualify you from having an MR exam. All patients are evaluated individually.
- Registration: Before arriving, you can print and fill out the MRI and MRI and Pregnancy forms, if applicable, on our Pre-Registration Questionnaire page. This should speed your registration process.
- Written order: If your doctor gave you an written order, please bring it with you.
- Medications: If you plan to take relaxation medication before your exam, it is our policy that you come with someone who can drive you home.
- Anesthesia: If you are having anesthesia, please also read our MRI and Anesthesia page.
- Pacemakers and other implantable devices.
- Please make sure to inform your technologist if you have a pacemaker or an implantable device.
- Many of today's implantable devices are designed to allow a patient to have an MR exam.
- In some cases, people with pacemakers, defibrillators or other electronic devices cannot have an MR scan.
- If you have a pacemaker or other implantable devices, please make sure you bring detailed information for your device type and your leads. It is important for us to know which make and model you have.
List and links to specific MRI exam preparations
- Functional MRI of the brain (use prep for MRI Brain)
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis: we offer many different types of abdominal MR. Please make sure you are following the correct preparation. If you are unsure which exam you are having, please call us at (310) 423-8000.
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis with cholangiogram
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis with elastography
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis with Feraheme
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis with MRCP
- MRI abdomen and/or pelvis with deluxe screening
- MRI adrenal gland diagnostics
- MRI and anesthesia
- MR angiography (MRA)
- MRI arm
- MRI brain (also MRI spectroscopy - brain)
- MRI brain with fiducials (use prep for MRI Brain)
- MRI breast
- MR guided breast biopsy
- MR guided breast needle localization
- MRI cardiac (MRI/MRA; cardiomyopathy/myocarditis, left ventricle function and viability, specific Q and congenital studies)
- MRI cardiac imaging with stress (stress perfusion — vasodilator, pharmacologic): same preps as for stress myocardial perfusion SPECT/PET
- MRI cervical spine
- MRI chest
- Dynamic pelvic MRI
- Head MRI MRA MRV
- MRI knee
- MRI liver with Spectroscopy
- MRI lower extremities (legs)
- MRI lumbar spine
- MR cholangiogram
- MR enterography
- Myelogram
- MRI neck
- MRI pancreas
- MRI pelvis
- MRI penis and scrotum
- MRI pituitary
- MRI prostate (MRI spectroscopy has same prep)
- MRI shoulder
- MRI spine: cervical, lumbar or thoracic
- Spine survey (MRI) for ankylosing spondylitis
- MRI thoracic spine
- MRI thyroid and/or parathyroid

MRI scan room at S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center
The S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center provides a full range of advanced imaging, both radiology and cardiology, as well as interventional radiology and interventional tumor (oncology) treatments to the greater Los Angeles area, including Beverly Hills, Encino, Mid-Cities, Sherman Oaks, Silver Lake, Studio City, Toluca Lake and West Hollywood.