An MRI is an essential tool for diagnosing various medical conditions. It enables healthcare providers to plan treatment and enhance patient care. Before going for an MRI, you must check with your doctor and find out whether you can eat before the test, as some specialty tests require fasting or switching to a liquid diet. At Manhattan MRI, our specialists will help you understand why or when you may need to stop eating before an MRI and how to prepare for your test. They make sure you realize the significance of an MRI for accurate diagnosis of your health condition and how you can make your test a success for timely healthcare.
MRIs have become popular for preventive health and disease diagnosis as they provide high-resolution, three-dimensional images of soft tissues inside the body that tell the difference between normal and abnormal soft tissue. However, to ensure a successful MRI and obtain clear images, preparation is crucial. This includes understanding foods and drinks to avoid before an MRI, as they may pose a concern and affect image quality.
In most circumstances, you can continue to eat and drink before an MRI scan. However, for some MRIs, you will have to fast. You will be provided with detailed preparation instructions by the imaging facility when you schedule your exam.
The answer to this question depends on the type of MRI performed and the specific guidelines provided in this regard. Eating before an MRI is usually allowed for standard MRI scans that do not use contrast or are not focused on areas surrounding the gastrointestinal tract.
A majority of MRIs do not require fasting before a scan. However, your doctor may ask you to stop eating and drinking a few hours before the test or switch to a liquid diet if they feel the need based on your medical condition or the underlying problem they suspect.
Only healthcare professionals will be able to advise you specifically on what you should do or what you can eat before an MRI. It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions to ensure imaging quality and accurate results.
Read on to know what types of MRIs require fasting, how fasting can affect your imaging results, and what dos and don’ts you need to follow when preparing for an MRI scan to get clearer, high-quality images.
Contrast agents improve the quality of medical images by helping to distinguish certain tissues or blood vessels from the surrounding tissue and fluids in the body. The increase in contrast makes the images clearer, which enables physicians to make more accurate diagnoses.
Contrast agents are commonly used with areas such as soft tissue, abnormal tissue, blood vessels, and specific organs. An IV line is started in your hand or arm in which the contrast agent is administered. The contrast injection can cause nausea or vomiting, which can be particularly dangerous when lying down in the scanner due to the risk of airway blockage. This is the reason fasting is recommended before an MRI, as it can reduce the risk of vomiting and ensure better imaging.
Also, certain foods can affect the body’s response to the contrast material, which can affect your results. Thus, your doctor may ask you to stop eating for a few hours before going for an MRI that requires contrast agents.
Healthcare providers recommend fasting for at least four hours before going for an abdomen or pelvic MRI. Eating and drinking triggers processes in the body to digest what has just been consumed. This involves muscle contractions through the digestive tract to move the food through the digestive system. These muscle movements can cause smearing or anomalies in the MRI images, known as artifacts. These artifacts may reduce the quality of the images and obscure any disease-associated anomalies or tumors in the surrounding tissues.
Fasting minimizes the presence of food particles in the gastrointestinal tract, reducing potential artifacts and ensuring better images of the abdominal organs. MRI scans focusing on areas such as the liver or pancreas will require fasting as these organs are located adjacent to the digestive tract and may experience involuntary contractions throughout the digestive tract.
Eating also causes your gallbladder to shrink, making it hard for the radiologist to see abnormal growth. Thus, you should avoid eating and drinking before abdominal or pelvis scans as they can interfere with the imaging process.
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a specialized form of MRI imaging that helps to visualize the pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and liver. It is used for diagnosing pancreatic cancer, tumors, pancreatitis, gallstones, and bile duct problems.
Patients are instructed to fast before MRCP to ensure the following:
Sometimes MRCP is also ordered to identify the causes of stomach pain. Thus, you must follow your doctor’s instructions regarding fasting to ensure accurate results that help in planning the best treatment for your condition.
A gastrointestinal MRI provides a comprehensive look into the digestive system, facilitating a more precise diagnosis. It helps to investigate digestive symptoms, such as identifying and locating gastrointestinal bleeding or suspected obstructions.
Physicians can have a detailed look and observe any abnormalities, inflammation, infections, or changes in this region. Fasting before these MRI scans is essential as an empty GI tract and minimized peristalsis is crucial for good visualization of bleeding or blockages.
Although MRI is a noninvasive procedure used for medical imaging, it can also be combined with invasive procedures to provide real-time imaging and guidance to doctors and surgeons for other procedures. It is often used for guiding surgeons when fitting a heart catheter or carrying out biopsies by precisely locating the abnormal tissue for sampling.
These procedures may require general anesthesia, and patients must fast before undergoing general anesthesia to prevent the risk of vomiting. Vomiting can be dangerous when under anesthesia as stomach contents can be inhaled into the lungs, which can result in a life-threatening situation.
An MRI is a radiation-free, non-invasive procedure that does not cause any pain or lasting effects. Also, no special reparation is required for an MRI. However, there are certain things you can do to make sure everything goes smoothly, and your technologist gets the images required to address your health concerns.
Following your doctor’s instructions is essential to prepare for an MRI scan.
Dos:
Don’ts:
If your doctor has instructed you to fast before your MRI scan, it is necessary to follow their instructions. In most cases, you will be required to fast up to 4 hours before the scan, but this may change depending on the area being scanned, what your technologist is looking for, and the facility you are visiting.
If you struggle with managing hunger, have diabetes, or need to take medications timely, it is best to schedule an early appointment, if possible, to limit how long you will have to go without food once you are awake. Inform the radiology staff about your medical condition or concerns, and they will provide personalized advice and do the best for you.
Preparing for an MRI becomes less intimidating when you are well-informed about the necessary steps to take. If your doctor has ordered an MRI with fasting, it is essential to follow your healthcare provider’s guidance to ensure the best possible imaging results and a smooth and stress-free MRI experience. Contact Manhattan MRI today and talk to our specialists if you have any questions about what to do before the procedure, particularly concerning eating and drinking. They will explain in detail what to do in your specific circumstances, how long you need to fast, and how it can benefit your scan.
