Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• A standard MRI scanner is a large, cylinder-shaped tube. You will be asked to lie on a table that then slides into the tube. 

• Some people can feel shut in (claustrophobic) when inside the tube. If you think you may have a problem, contact the radiography department, or tell your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe you some light sedation. This will help you to relax. 

• You will not be able to go into an ‘open’-type MRI scanner. This is because the magnetic field strength is lower than in closed MRIs. This means they will not give a clear enough picture of your prostate. 

• MRI scans can be very loud. You may be given some ear plugs or headphones to wear before going into the scanner. 

• A multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) works by producing more detailed pictures of your prostate than a normal MRI. This means that your healthcare team can:
  • See any suspicious areas more easily.
  • Decide whether you need to have a biopsy of your prostate.
  • Target biopsy needles more accurately. This can reduce the number of samples that are taken from your prostate at one time.
  • See if there are any suspicious areas outside your prostate. For example, in lymph nodes or bones in your pelvis. 

• It is often done before you have a prostate biopsy. 

• mpMRI is now the ‘gold standard’ recommended type of MRI. But it is not available in every hospital. You can talk to your doctor about mpMRI. 

• Our services search tool (link will open in a new tab) will allow you to search for hospitals near you that offer mpMRI.
   

What do I need to do?

• You may be asked to empty your bowels before your MRI. Your appointment letter should tell you about any preparation you need. 

• Some metals interfere with the magnetic field of the MRI. They may damage some of your belongings. Before going to the MRI room, you will need to remove:
  • Jewellery 
  • Watches, including electronic watches and GPS trackers
  • Mobile phones
  • Body piercings
  • Removable dental devices such as, braces
  • Pens
  • Spectacles
  • Credit cards
  • Hearing aids.

• The radiographer will go through a safety checklist with you before you can have your MRI. You need to tell them about any metalwork that you have inside your body. This includes:
  • Pacemakers
  • Cochlea implants
  • Surgical clips, coils, pins or plates 
  • Dental fillings or bridges
  • Any other metal fragments.

• Having any of these devices does not necessarily mean you will not be able to have an MRI. If you got a leaflet after having an implanted device, it may mention MRI. If you have these leaflets, bring them with you to the scan.

What is contrast medium?

• You may have to have an injection of special dye. This is called a contrast medium. 
• This will give a clearer picture of your prostate. 
• You may also be given an injection that will stop bowel movement. This is called Buscopan (hyoscine butylbromide). 
• Before you have the injections, tell the radiographer about any:
  • Allergies that you have
  • Medical conditions that you have.
• The radiographer will put a small tube into a vein on the back of your hand or in your arm. This is called a cannula. The radiographer will use this to inject the dye and the Buscopan. 

• Your test results may take one-to-two weeks to come back. 

• A radiologist will look at your scans and give them a score. 
• You may hear your doctor talk about the Likert score or the PI-RADS score. 
• These go from one-to-five and tell you how likely it is you have prostate cancer. This will help your doctor decide what to do next.