Patients can usually book a private consultation directly, where the specialist can decide whether an endoscopy is needed. For more information, please see How to book and pay or Contact Us, and we can discuss your needs further.  

We will ask you some safety questions when you book your appointment, and you will need to fill in a safety questionnaire that we will send you with your appointment letter. Please remember to bring this to your appointment.

Unless we let you know, you do not need to make any special preparations before your MRI scan, and you can continue to eat and drink as normal and take any prescribed medication.

On arrival a member of staff will meet you and explain the procedure to you. We will check your safety questionnaire and then give you the opportunity to ask any unanswered questions you may have.

You will be asked to lie down on the MRI table, and we will ensure you are as comfortable as possible. The Radiographer will position you so that the part of the body to be scanned is in the middle of the scanner; you will be asked to stay as still as possible. MRI scanners are quite loud, therefore you will be provided with ear protection prior to the commencement of your scan.

An MRI scan is made up of a series of three-to-five-minute scans (dependent on the area being examined). The radiographer operating the scanner will guide you through the procedure, talking to you briefly between each scan. If you have any difficulty, you will be able to use an emergency call bell which will be available to you at all times during the procedure.

An MRI scan is painless and most last around 30 minutes; however, some can take up to two hours, depending on the size of the area being scanned and the number of images being taken.

Once your scan is complete you can continue to eat and drink normally. You can drive yourself home afterwards or return to work if you need to. Due to the non-invasive nature of the scan, there are no known side effects, therefore, you can continue as you would normally.

A radiologist will check the scan results shortly after your appointment and will send a report to your doctor or consultant. At the time of your appointment, you will be told how long this should take.

Visually, an MRI scanner is a large tube that contains powerful magnets. You will be asked to lie inside the tube throughout the duration of your scan. Although you may find it uncomfortable if you have claustrophobia, no evidence has been found to suggest there’s any risk associated with an MRI, which means that MRI scans are one of the safest medical procedures available.

Yes, weight limits vary depending on the specific equipment at our locations. Our ultra-wide bore scanner at Cheetham Hill is specially designed for accessibility and can accommodate patients up to 50 stone (320kg). Our Parkway location has a weight limit of 23 stone (150kg).

If you have any concerns regarding weight limits or finding the most comfortable environment for your scan, please let our team know when booking so we can ensure you are scheduled at the most appropriate site.

As with any of our clinical services, patient safety is always our number one concern. An MRI is a painless, noninvasive procedure, which therefore doesn’t require you to make any special preparations or modifications (unless specifically told to). You can continue to eat and drink as normal and continue to take any prescribed medication right up to and immediately after your appointment.

However, if you are due for an MRI scan with us and you answer ‘YES’ to any of the following, you should contact us to discuss this further to ensure that you are safe to have an MRI scan.

• You are pregnant or may be pregnant.
• You have a cardiac pacemaker.
• You have had any type of heart surgery.
• You have a cochlear implant, neurostimulator, or programmable hydrocephalus shunt.
• You have any metal implants in your body.
• You have had an injury to your eyes involving metal or metal fragments.
• You have had any operations on your head, eyes, ears, or spine.

When booking your appointment, we will ask you some initial safety questions over the phone. We will also send you an additional safety questionnaire with your appointment letter. Please read these questions carefully, answer honestly, and remember to bring this with you to your appointment.

It is important that you provide us with all the necessary information prior to your scan so that it can be conducted safely and successfully. If you have any questions, concerns or special requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.

They are often used as part of a patient’s carefully curated treatment plan; often assessing the effectiveness of previous treatments. They can also be the result of an onward referral for extra investigation, used to support ongoing treatment by other services such as ENT.