Pelvic MRI
Expert pelvic imaging
Pelvic MRI at Beverly Hospital and Outpatient Center in Danvers
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most accurate ways to examine the soft tissue areas of the body. It’s a safe, painless and comfortable procedure that uses no ionizing radiation (X-rays). Instead, MRI combines computer technology with magnets and radio waves to create multiple pictures of the inside of the body.
Your gynecologist can use pelvic MRI to diagnose a wide variety of health conditions.Depending on your situation, your doctor may use MRI with contrast, meaning that they’ll use a contrast dye during the imaging test to obtain a clearer image of the inside of your body. After your procedure, a board-certified MRI radiologist interprets the images so you can better understand your results.
Learn More About Pelvic MRI
Get more details on what you can expect and how to prepare for pelvic imaging.
You won’t need to do anything special to prepare for this test. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, on the day of your exam, you may:
- Eat and drink normally.
- Engage in your regular activities.
- Take your usual prescribed medications.
- Leave jewelry and other valuables at home on the day of your test. Our scheduling staff will let you know when to arrive. Before your test, you’ll likely answer a few questions about your medical history. We ask these questions to keep you safe. Please be patient if we ask the same questions more than once.
When you schedule your exam, our staff will also ask if you have any devices implanted inside your body such as pacemakers, aneurysm clips and stents. Please have as much information about these devices available as possible.
Before entering the exam room, you will remove metal objects, such as:
- Body piercings
- Dentures
- Eyeglasses
- Hairpins
- Rings
Dental fillings, hip replacements, knee replacements and contact lenses are acceptable. We will also ask you to change into comfortable examination clothing to ensure that you are not wearing anything metal. Before the exam, you will leave your belongings in your own personal locker.
A technologist will help position you on a padded table that will slide into a scanner, which is open at both ends. The technologist will place a special apparatus around your pelvis to better focus the images.
You will notice knocking or humming noises when the scan is underway. This is the sound of the magnetic field adjusting to generate information about the area being scanned. The exam lasts about 30 to 60 minutes.
After your scan is complete, you will change into your personal clothes and collect your belongings. Your doctor will receive your results on the business day following your scan. You may resume your normal activities immediately. However, if you take anxiety medication before the procedure, you will need to have someone drive you home.
Conditions Pelvic MRI Can Diagnose
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Endometriosis
- Gynecologic cancer
- Ovarian lesions
- Pelvic mass
- Post-menopausal urinary or fecal incontinence
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Services & Specialties
When necessary, your gynecologist will work with other specialists at Beverly Hospital to ensure you have the care you need to feel your very best.