Chest MR Angiography (MRA) - How to Prepare
When preparing for the chest MR angiography (MRA) exam, you may be asked to wear a gown during the exam or you may be allowed to wear your own clothing if it is loose-fitting and has no metal fasteners.
Guidelines about eating and drinking before a magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) exam vary. Unless you are told otherwise, you may follow your regular daily routine and take medications as usual.
MR angiogram may require you to receive an injection of contrast into the vein of your arm. Your radiologist or technologist may ask if you have asthma or if you have allergies such as allergy to iodine or x-ray contrast material, to drugs, to food, or to the environment.
However, the contrast material used for an MRA exam, called gadolinium, does not contain iodine and is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than iodine containing contrast used for a CT exam.
The radiologist or technologist should be told if you have any serious health problems and what surgeries you have undergone. Some conditions, such as severe kidney or liver disease may prevent you from receiving contrast material during an MRA exam.
Women should always inform their radiologist or technologist if there is any possibility that they are pregnant. If you are breastfeeding at the time of the exam, you should ask your doctor how to proceed.
