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Comment by elzbardico | Hacker News Reader

I just wanted to say that anyone who stays voluntarily inside of a working MRI machine for any extended amount of time should get a presidential model as Hero of Science (if this medal doesn't exist, will please the congress create it just for this guy?).

The guy did willingly, for science, what for most people would be an unspeakable nightmare.

Thank you, Sir!

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> for most people would be an unspeakable nightmare.

Most don’t find it that bad, and many enjoy it. It’s a bit like meditation, no one interferes and the drone of the scanner sends them to sleep. It’s warm and comfortable.

A significant number of first time patients have been told of the horrors of MRI and come pre-loaded with all sorts of misconceptions that helpful friends and family have passed on.

I’m an MR tech - we scan about 40-50 body regions per day and have 2 time slots for sedation (should it be needed). On average we would use light sedation 1 or 2 patients a day. I’ve been a volunteer for optimising a few sequences this month, and recommend it.

Idk, all of that also feels a bit like being in a coffin for some, especially if you're going reasonably far into the tube. I do get the sleepiness bit, though personally would prefer it cooler.

Ask to be cooler - the airflow can be increased and depending on how compliant the tech is, the heating (SAR) can be reduced. A slightly longer, but cooler scan. Every scanner I’ve ever seen has an option for a mirror to see out, so that may be an option. Most magnets from the last 5 years are about 1.8m long, which helps. Some research magnets or older ones are a fair bit longer.

Not saying I’m normal, but I really like sleeping in tight dark spaces. A couple times I’ve thought of building/buying a coffin-like thing specifically for sleeping in. The aversion is totally reasonable, just trying to say — for some people the coffin-ness is not a drawback

Do you enjoy counting things? Like, obsessively?

(https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41422849)

You know, that’s the 18th time this has been suggested to me…

People are wired differently, many (most?) don’t have a difficult time with MRI machines. I tend to find them relaxing. The only annoyance is that you’re not allowed to move the body part being scanned.

indeed.

i thought i didn't have any phobia until i had a single experience with an MRI machine with no sedation. i came out with mild claustrophobia that only time has been healing.

I have only done 15mins at a stretch, but I did foam earplugs with noise cancelling headphones on top and it wasn’t too bad. I just pretended I was in some kind of sci-fi medical healing tube.

How did you get noise cancelling headphones in an MRI? Don't they contain metal, as well as magnetic coils?

Siemens have some in R and D that are going to be $50k ish. The ones OP wore will likely have been the standard ones which pipe music though fish tank tubing.

Those ones they usually use in MRIs aren't noise cancelling though.

Not only that, they are horribly ineffective as hearing protective. Wear earplugs when getting an MRI scan.

In MRIs I fall asleep faster than in most other places. I don't know why, but that's how it is

Me too! They have to wake me up sometimes, so I can stay still :D

I remember when I had a brain scan, they put my head in some sort of fixture and I tried hard to stay awake. Then I fell asleep, noticed that my head is somehow trapped, woke up scared and twitched a lot. That was a really challenging scan

I'm surprised to see so many people speaking negatively of the experience. I find being MRIed pleasant.

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