HNY Central Digital Repository - Hull

Diagnostic intervention 

Use of MRI scanners other than conventional closed ones, is commissioned when a conventional closed MRI scanner can’t be used due to physical limitation (obesity or other physical limitation) or claustrophobia, subject to the following conditions:

Open MRI is commissioned if MRI is clinically essential to diagnosis or management and no other imaging modality e.g. CT, is considered suitable AND:

• A conventional closed MRI scan has been attempted (or considered), with sedative medication, if necessary, OR

• A wide bore MRI scan has been attempted (or considered), with sedative medication, if necessary, OR  

• The person is unable to fit comfortably in a conventional or wide bore MRI scanner due to obesity or other physical limitation

Wide bore MRI is commissioned if MRI is clinically essential to diagnosis or management and no other imaging modality e.g. CT, is considered suitable AND:

•  A conventional closed MRI scan has been attempted (or considered), with sedative medication, if necessary, OR

• The person is unable to fit comfortably in a conventional scanner due to obesity or other physical limitation OR

• The person’s weight exceeds the maximum load of the conventional closed MRI scan table

Upright MRI is commissioned if MRI is clinically essential to diagnosis or management and no other imaging modality e.g. CT, is considered suitable AND:

• A conventional closed MRI scan has been attempted (or considered), with sedative medication, if necessary, OR

• The person has significant desaturation and/or severe breathlessness when lying down due to a cardiorespiratory condition

OR

• The person has severe pain despite adequate analgesia when lying down that is relieved by standing or sitting

• A load bearing MRI is essential to diagnosis or management

The number of patients who are unable to tolerate a conventional MRI scanner due to claustrophobia can be reduced to a minimum by using quieter, modern scanners with a short bore, keeping the scanning times to a minimum, using good communication techniques and by selective use of sedative medication. 

Compared with conventional closed MRI scanners, other MRI scanners take longer to perform a scan and the quality of the images produced is usually lower.  

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/claustrophobia/ 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mri-scan/