Introduction
In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), imaging is performed with the aid of a strong magnetic field. In addition to the alignment of atomic nuclei, which is the cause of the image formation, the magnetic field can also act on metals. In this case there is a risk of strong heating, which is a risk for the patient.
Therefore, before an MRI examination, clothing should be taken off as far as possible to minimize the risk – especially the wearing of zippers, buttons or belts should be avoided at all costs. In addition, jewelry, glasses, hearing aids and piercings should also be taken off for the safety of the patient. Depending on the practice or clinic, the patient is allowed to wear their own clothing (provided it does not contain magnetic metals) or a T-shirt or surgical shirt is provided.
What should I wear?
Any clothing that may contain metal in any form should be removed before the examination. This includes clothing with zippers or buttons. A belt and shoes should also be removed.
In addition, any form of jewelry (including chains, rings, piercings) is prohibited in the MRI, since often several metals are processed in one piece of jewelry and the doctor does not know this composition. Especially the metals iron, cobalt and nickel cause problems in the MRI by heating up strongly and disturbing the imaging. Wet clothing should also be removed during the examination.
Purses, cell phones, watches and other valuables should also be removed and can usually be safely stored on site. If possible, however, these should simply be left at home. It is also important to store chip or credit cards, which often use magnetic strips. An examination with the MRT will lead to the magnetization being removed and the credit card data deleted.
What can I keep on in the MRI?
The clothing that the patient is allowed to wear during the examination differs depending on the practice or clinic. In principle, the patient is allowed to wear anything that does not contain metal in any form and thus reacts to the strong magnetic field. If there is any uncertainty about the materials of a piece of clothing, the clothing should be taken off for safety reasons.
In some practices and clinics, the patient is given a T-shirt or a surgical shirt with net trousers before the examination. In changing rooms in the radiology department one can then change. Many practices and clinics also allow the patient to wear their own clothes.
It is particularly recommended that patients wear a T-shirt so that a possible injection of contrast medium is possible via the crook of the arm. The T-shirt can also be worn under a surgical shirt. It is also recommended to wear thick socks, since it is sometimes cold in the examination rooms and the examination usually takes at least 20 to 30 minutes and the patient should not move.
Whether wearing a bra is allowed in the MRI depends on the materials of the bra. Often there are metals in the area of the closure, which then makes it necessary to remove the bra during the examination. However, in order not to be completely unclothed, a T-shirt or a surgical shirt can be worn.
Alternatively, most bikinis or bras can be worn without a metal clasp. For an MRI of the back or the lumbar spine, it is a basic rule that all clothing that contains metals in any form must be removed. Other clothing does not pose a problem for MRI imaging and has no influence on the image quality, even if it is located in the area of the body to be examined.
For an MRI of the knee, all clothing that contains metals in any form must also be removed. This also applies if, for example, only the legs are examined in the MRI. In general, all metallic objects and items of clothing in the vicinity of the MRI pose a danger because they can become very hot and disturb the image quality.
Clothing that certainly does not contain any metallic components can be worn, even if it is in the area of the body to be examined. It does not pose a problem for MRI imaging of the knee. If you are not sure which clothes you can wear or if your clothes may contain metal, please ask the staff of the clinic and practice.
In most cases, metal-free clothing can be provided for the examination. In principle, all items of clothing that contain metal in any form must be removed from the foot during an MRI. In addition, shoes must be removed.Socks are no problem for imaging. Other metal-free clothing worn by the patient can be left on and does not affect the image quality.
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