In the winter of 2017, Deena Mangwani (name changed to protect identity), a resident of Camp, Pune, was making constant trips to doctors to treat a host of health issues. Chief among her concerns was a debilitating back pain that just wouldn’t go away. Deena had tried everything over the last few months and her doctors were stumped too. Finally, her doctors advised her to get an MRI to further diagnose the problem. Deena’s heart sank – it was the one thing she had hoped she could avoid.

Revisiting the past

“I don’t deal well with closed, narrow spaces. During an MRI, you lie on a table, which then moves into a tunnel-shaped machine. I had had an MRI a few years ago when I was extremely sick. Even in my half-drugged state, the scan made me feel claustrophobic – I had an irrational desire to just get up and run. With this in mind, I was dreading the MRI scan, but…I was in for a surprise.”

 

Is sedation the only option?

Deena booked an MRI scan at Star Imaging since she had had her previous scans there and had been happy with the service. However, her claustrophobia fears were still bothering her.

“When I arrived at the centre, I was given a couple of forms to fill. The receptionist asked me to help myself to some tea/coffee, but I was too nervous – I just wanted to get done with my scan.”
When Deena asked about getting sedated, a staff member explained that there were other options available too.

Beating claustrophobia with movies

“The (nurse) told me about their latest (3T) MRI machine with ambient experience. This scanner had apparently helped 90% of their patients overcome claustrophobia, without sedation. She asked me to try it out, assuring me that if I was still claustrophobic, I could always opt for sedation. Since my scan was going to take a couple of minutes, I was hesitant at first, but I decided to give it a try. I was then directed to the changing room and asked to change into a hospital gown and remove all metal items.”

Did I make the right choice?

“Next, I was escorted into the MRI room and asked to lie on the table, while the nurse gave me headphones. She then left the room (after kindly draping a blanket on me!) and the scan began. As the table started moving into the bore, my misapprehensions came back in a flood. I was just thinking that I should have probably chosen to get sedated…when a movie (an Ajay Devgn flick) started playing. The experience was wonderful - it was like seeing the movie on a big screen on the ceiling. There was so much light that I forgot I was in a tunnel! Throughout the scan, the technicians also spoke to me through the headphones, reassuring me and asking if I was ok.”

Not what I expected!

Once outside the scan room, Deena was free to leave immediately.

“Honestly, it was so much better than expected… I didn’t feel claustrophobic at all! This (3T) MRI (with ambient experience) is a real blessing. I hope none of my friends/family members ever need an MRI, but if they do, I would definitely recommend this one!” she concludes with a smile.

For more information on MRI, CT and other scans, feel free to reach out to us on 020 4132 2222 / 4122 2222. Star Imaging offers the world’s most advanced technology, including a 3T MRI scanner with ambient experience; and is Pune’s leading Second Opinion clinic.