1. Watch this short video to learn what to expect when you come to Stanford for a MRI scan: 

If you are interested in understanding the science behind MRI, see our 'About MRI' page

2) Download and listen to the MRI sounds. There are seven tracks:

• • Intro to MRI
  • Mixed sounds
  • Intro to structural MRI
  • Structural sounds
  • Intro to functional MRI (fMRI)
  • Functional sounds
  • DTI sounds
  • One hour long MRI sounds

3. Practice the statue game. This means practicing to stay as still as possible for as long as you can.

In the MRI, you have to stay still or else the brain picture will be blurry. Think of it like when you take a picture on your phone. If someone moves while you take a picture of them then the picture will be blurry, but if they stay still then the picture if clear. Practicing is easy - lay down on your bed or floor, keep your hands by your sides and stay still. It is really important not to move your head, but you will still need to keep all parts of your body still, even your toes! 

MRI Stimulator

As part of your study visit, you will have one or more simulator sessions if you are scheduled for an MRI scan. What is an MRI simulator? It is a twelve-foot mock, or pretend, scanner without the magnet. Our simulator looks like a real MRI scanner so that you can become familiar with the sights, sounds, and sensations before you have your scan. We will help you further practice lying still during the MRI scan. You can listen to music, hear a story, or watch a video during parts of the simulator training. Feel free to bring your own favorite DVD for use at the simulator and the actual MRI scanner. 

We use special monitoring equipment that will automatically interrupt the entertainment for a brief interval so that you will know if you have moved too much during the simulation. This provides immediate feedback to you, reminding you to hold still.

We also play the sounds an MRI makes along with the audio from the selected movie to approximate what it will sound like during the actual MRI session.

We may ask you to practice playing the fMRI games using the button box while sitting at a computer and while lying in the simulator.

Before Leaving the House

One of the most important things to do before your MRI scan is to dress appropriately. The MRI machine is magnetic, so metal things will stick to it. To avoid this, you need to remove anything metal like jewelry and hair clips. Make sure you don't wear clothes that have buckles. Even make-up can contain some metal, so it's best to not wear any make-up too. Braces are not allowed in the MRI, so if you have braces or a metal retainer that cannot be removed, you must tell the researcher so they can cancel your appointment. Even regular glasses cannot be taken in the MRI, so either wear contacts or let the researcher know the prescription ahead of time so they can prepare MRI-safe glasses. A good way to check for metal is to do a head-to-toe check. Start with your head and think of any metal you may have and move down to check arms, legs and pockets. You will not wear shoes in the MRI, so don't worry about those. You may also be asked to change into scrubs when you arrive. 

Arriving at Lucas MRI Center

Once you park and arrive at Lucas, a researcher will meet you outside at the front door since the doors are locked. You will be guided to the lobby to fill out the MRI Safety Form for yourself or your child. The form is used to make sure you/your child does not have any metal located on or inside their body (jewelry, medical devices, etc). Once the form is filled out and we confirm there is no metal, we will take the participant to the MRI room and prepare them for the scan.

During MRI Scan

Before the scan, we may ask you to change your clothes and put on scrubs. For some studies, you can choose a video to watch on Youtube or Netflix. Then, we will take you into the main room and place earplugs into your ears. This is because the scanner makes loud sounds and we don't want it to be too loud for you. We will ask you to lay down on the MRI bed as we place the brain camera over your head. We may place blankets on you if you are feeling cold. The researchers will leave the main room and go into the control room so we can see your brain on the computer. We can still see and hear you from this room since there is a glass window. We will then move the bed into the scanner so you can see the video better. Then we will start the scans. Sometimes the bed will shake, but that's normal. Scans last between 15minutes to 1 hour depending on the study, so ask the researcher how long you will need to be there. Remember, during the scan it is really important to stay still so we can get a clear brain picture. After the scan, you will be able to put your clothes back on. We will give you a picture of your brain to take home with you!

There are 4 parking spots for MRI participants designated with a black & white "Special Permit Only - Lucas Center - Patient Parking Only" sign. 1 spot is located directly across the front door of the Lucas Center. The 3 other spots are located across the street on Welch Road (after Campus Drive and right before Oak Road). Park in one of these spots and let the researcher know you have arrived. The researcher will provide you with a parking permit to place on your dashboad so you don't get a ticket.