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Sedation for MRI

Sedation is used in MRI for patients that are unable to tolerate the imaging study due to patient's mental capacity, uncontrollable spasms, or claustrophobia. We offer 3 types of sedation at the University of Utah Hospital and Clinics.

All patients receiving sedation must have a driver present in order to obtain sedation.

The first type of sedation that we offer is Valium. Valium is prescribed either by your doctor or our radiologist. You must arrive to the MRI center an hour before your exam. This is so the doctor can talk to you about the valium and the effects it can have. MRI with Conscious Sedation is performed at the University of Utah Hospital only.

The second type of sedation is Conscious Sedation. This is performed with our Radiology nurses. They will give the patient a combination of medications. This will place the patient in mild sedated condition.

1. This is used if Valium has failed.
2. You will arrive at the University Hospital 1 hour prior to exam to allow time for consent forms to be reviewed and to administer your sedation.
3. You may not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before.
4. You will recover in the MRI area, or you may need to recover for a longer period of time and you will be transferred to a recovery suite.

The third type of sedation is General Anesthesia. This is used if the patient is severely handicapped or if conscious sedation failed, or if the patient cannot receive conscious sedation due to risk factors. This form of sedation is performed by an anesthesiologist.

1. You must arrive to the University Hospital 2 hours prior to your exam and check into Short Stay Surgery.
2. You may not eat or drink anything from midnight the night before.
3. You will have the MRI scan after an anesthesiologist has placed you in a deep sedated state, as if you were in surgery.
   
4. When the MRI is complete you will then go to recovery for a few hours or until the Anesthesiologist feels that you may safely be released from the hospital.