If anxiety rises during your MRI

Agreeing how to contact staff beforehand gives you a clear action if the scan becomes difficult.

Use the signal you agreed on

If you need help or want to stop, use the method the team showed you. Do not wait to prove that you can manage. Follow their instructions while they respond.

Do not assume the scanner will stop automatically because you feel anxious. Tell the team.

Keep your technique simple

If you choose to use a familiar attention or support technique, keep it optional. You do not have to complete an exercise. Your team’s instructions, including any breathing instructions for the scan, take priority.

Do not label every sensation as anxiety

Tell staff promptly about an unexpected symptom or discomfort. They can assess what is happening; the program cannot do that from a description or tell you a symptom is harmless.

Review the plan afterward

If the scan pauses or stops, ask what the next step is. You can discuss what happened without turning it into a failure. See the separate guide for preparing after an unfinished scan.

Source

General information: RadiologyInfo: MRI safety. These sources do not endorse Ready for MRI. Your MRI team’s instructions take priority.