Board-certified Anesthesiologists
If anxiety, claustrophobia, pain, or difficulty remaining still has kept you from getting an MRI, you're not alone. At Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology, we offer IV Sedation to help you comfortably complete your exam while ensuring the highest quality images for your physician.
Every sedation MRI is administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist and closely monitored by an experienced clinical team before, during, and after your exam. IV Sedation is currently available at our Five Towns, Plainview, Sayville, and Stony Brook locations.
Who May Benefit from IV Sedation?
IV Sedation may be recommended if you:
- Experience moderate to severe claustrophobia
- Feel anxious or fearful about having an MRI
- Have difficulty lying still because of pain or discomfort
- Have had an unsuccessful MRI in the past due to movement or anxiety
- Want added peace of mind during your exam
If you think sedation would make your MRI more comfortable, our scheduling team will gladly help determine whether it's the right option for you. Contact us today.
What is IV Sedation?
IV Sedation is medication administered through a small intravenous (IV) line that helps you relax and sleep lightly during your MRI. Because remaining still is essential for producing clear, accurate images, sedation can improve both your comfort and the quality of the examination. Throughout your visit, your board-certified anesthesiologist and a registered nurse will continuously monitor your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and overall well-being to ensure a safe and comfortable experience. Sedation MRIs are performed on our advanced Wide Bore MRI systems, which provide a more spacious design and faster scan times than older MRI units—helping make your exam as comfortable and efficient as possible.
Stress-Free Experience
For patients with claustrophobia, anxiety, or difficulty completing a traditional MRI.
Better Image Quality
By minimizing movement during the exam, IV Sedation helps produce much clearer images.
Expert Medical Care
Performed under the supervision of a board-certified anesthesiologistFrequently Asked Questions
All metal must be removed before your scan including jewelry, dentures, eyeglasses, belt buckles and any clothing with metal zippers or buttons. If your clothing contains any metal, you will need to change into a gown.
The anesthesiologist will evaluate your individual characteristics to determine the type and dose of sedation required. Factors such as age, weight, anxiety level, pain level, and current medications will all be considered when determining the right type of sedation to use for your MRI.
Either the nurse or anesthesiologist will place an intravenous needle/catheter into a vein in your arm or hand. In some cases, you may be given a small amount of medication to help you relax before the scan begins. You will be monitored before, during, and after your MRI scan by both the anesthesiologist and nurse.
The MRI technologist and nurse will bring you into the MRI room and comfortably position you on the scanning table. The anesthesiologist will then administer the sedation medication. The scanning table you are lying on will be moved into the center of the magnet and the test will begin. The machine never touches you during the scan. You will be monitored before, during, and after your MRI scan by both the anesthesiologist and nurse.
After the scan, you will brought to a relaxing recovery area. The nurse will remove your IV and discharge instructions will be given to both you and the adult who is accompanying you. Generally, patients are awake, alert, and ready for discharge within 30 minutes after the MRI scan. There are no lasting side effects from sedation, although some patients may feel drowsy afterwards. You MAY NOT drive or operate heavy machinery for the remainder of the day.
The entire process takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
You must fast between midnight until after your appointment the next day. However, you may take your medication with a few sips of water.
Depending on your medical history, a medical clearance may be needed. Before your appointment, you will be contacted by our anesthesiology team to determine if clearance is necessary.
Someone must accompany you to the exam, drive you home and stay with you for the remainder of the day. You MAY NOT drive or operate heavy machinery for the remainder of that day.
Notify our staff if you have any metal, medical, or mechanical devices in your body. This exam may NOT be performed if you have a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, cerebral aneurysm clips, or cochlear/internal hearing implants.
You may be eligible under certain conditions if you have an MRI-conditional pacemaker/defibrillator. Please call 631-444-5544 ext. 4340 to verify if your device is MRI compatible.
You should arrive 1 hour before your scheduled exam time. Please allow 10 to 30 minutes for the MRI itself, and about 20 to 30 minutes afterwards to recover.
If you have impaired kidney function, are diabetic or are 60 years of age or older, we will perform an i-STAT creatinine level at the time of your exam to assess your kidney function. It is important to inform us if you are taking the medication hydroxyurea when making your appointment. Keep hydrated before and after your exam.