MRI Examination Guide: Preparation, Contraindications & What to Expect

Before the Scan: What to Remove

Before entering the scanning room, the examinee and accompanying family members must remove all metal objects, including:

• Mobile phones, watches, coins, keys
• Knives, hairpins, pins, lighters
• Magnetic cards, glasses, belt buckles
• Any other metal objects

Please also remove: removable dentures, skin ointments, magnetic therapy or infrared health care underwear, body shaper underwear, and bras (for females).

Fasting & Dietary Requirements

Fasting requirements vary depending on the scan site:

• Abdominal MRI (upper/lower abdomen): Examinees must fast for at least 4–6 hours before the scan. This includes no food or water. Fasting helps reduce bowel gas and motion artifacts, ensuring clearer imaging of the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and pelvic organs.
• Cranial, spinal, and joint MRI: Fasting is generally not required. However, a light meal is recommended — avoid overeating before the scan.
• If contrast agent (gadolinium) is used: Fasting for at least 4 hours is required regardless of scan site, to reduce the risk of nausea or vomiting.

Note: Patients with diabetes should inform the technician in advance, as prolonged fasting may require special arrangements.

MRI Contraindications

MRI is prohibited for examinees with any of the following conditions:

1. Cardiac pacemakers, cardiac magnetic metal valves, or coronary magnetic metal stents
2. Cochlear implants
3. Magnetic metal implants, vascular hemostatic clips, artificial joints, or fixation plates in the body
4. Implanted nerve stimulators such as insulin pumps
5. Fixed dentures (metal), electronic eyes, metal intrauterine devices, or similar implants
6. High fever, coma, or claustrophobia; or pregnancy within the first three months
7. History of surgery or implantation of an unclear object — please inform the nurse or MRI technician

MRI Scan Types & What They Examine

Cranial MRI (1.5T)

Cranial MRI can directly visualize cranial nerves, detect early lesions, and has no cranial bone artifacts. The high signal contrast between gray and white matter makes cranial MRI significantly superior to CT.

Head + Head Artery MRI (1.5T)

Simultaneously displays intracranial nerve and vascular imaging, improving the detection rate and diagnostic accuracy of craniocerebral diseases.

Cervical Spine MRI (1.5T)

MRI is the primary imaging technique for intraspinal lesions. It is more sensitive than X-ray and CT for early bone destruction and subtle fractures, offering a larger imaging range, multi-directional imaging, no bone artifacts, and high contrast.

Lumbar MRI (1.5T)

Same advantages as cervical spine MRI — superior multi-directional imaging, no bone artifacts, and high soft tissue contrast for accurate diagnosis of lumbar conditions.

Upper Abdominal MRI Plain Scan (1.5T)

Examines the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen. MRI's high soft tissue resolution is of great value in the differential diagnosis of liver and pancreatic lesions, and can better show surrounding invasion and metastasis.

Lower Abdominal MRI Plain Scan (1.5T)

Examines the bladder, colon, rectum, uterus, ovaries, and prostate. It is the primary imaging technique for male and female urogenital diseases, pelvic tumors, inflammation, endometriosis, and metastatic cancer — superior to CT for local extravesical invasion of prostate and bladder cancer.

Why Get an MRI Scan?

Many diseases are deeply hidden and not easily detected in early stages. MRI enables imaging diagnosis across multiple body systems to detect early lesions before symptoms appear.

• Neurological: MRI is the primary examination method for cranial nerves, distinguishing brain parenchymal lesions from extracranial lesions with greater depth and accuracy.
• Soft tissue: MRI has excellent resolution for muscles, cartilage, ligaments, and other soft tissues — superior to comparable examinations.
• Oncology: MRI can distinguish between benign and malignant tumors and differentiate the severity of pain diseases through multiple data points.
• Radiation-free: MRI uses no ionizing radiation, giving it unique advantages in disease diagnosis and screening.

Currently, few domestic physical examination centers have applied MRI technology to health check programs. Internationally, most countries attach great importance to disease prevention, and MRI has become a standard feature of high-end physical examination programs.