Finding the right tests…
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Emergency services available 24 x 7
Finding the right tests…
MRI
A plain MRI brain scan uses a strong magnet and radio waves, not X-rays, to build detailed pictures of your brain's structure without any injected dye. It's often the first scan ordered for headaches that have changed pattern, unexplained dizziness, seizures, or memory changes, giving a general structural picture before deciding if anything more specific is needed. You lie still on a table that slides into a tunnel-shaped scanner, and the machine is loud, so earplugs or headphones are usually offered. Because no contrast is used here, there's no IV line, which is why doctors often start with this version and add contrast only if something needs a closer look.
This scan checks the brain's structure — the shape and position of brain tissue, ventricles, and major vessels — for anything unusual in size, shape, or signal. It's a general look, not aimed at one specific condition, so your doctor reads it alongside your symptoms and exam findings to decide what, if anything, needs a follow-up scan.
A plain brain MRI is often the starting point when your doctor wants to see brain structure without narrowing in on one specific problem yet. It shows brain tissue, the fluid-filled spaces called ventricles, and the major blood vessels in enough detail to catch a wide range of changes, from swelling to old damage to a mass.
For many headache patterns, dizziness, or a first seizure, a plain scan is the right first step, since it can rule out several possibilities at once without an injection. If everything looks normal and your symptoms point away from anything urgent, this may be the only scan you need.
If this scan turns up something unclear, or your doctor already suspects a tumor, infection, or vascular problem, gadolinium contrast may be added on a follow-up visit, since certain lesions show up more clearly with it. A plain scan on its own cannot always tell an active problem apart from an old, stable one.
Ask your doctor to explain your specific report rather than reading the images yourself, since normal variation between individual brains is common.
Not for a plain brain MRI. Contrast is only added if your doctor specifically orders it, usually to look more closely at something the first scan raises a question about.
Positioning and scanning together usually run somewhere in the 30-to-60-minute range, though this can vary with what your doctor has asked to be checked. The centre can give you a better estimate for your specific scan.
No. An MRI itself is painless, though the scanner is loud and you'll need to stay still, which some people find uncomfortable if they're anxious in enclosed spaces.
A plain brain MRI can pick up many structural changes, including some strokes and tumors, but certain lesions are seen more clearly with contrast or a specific protocol. Your doctor decides which version fits your symptoms.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Tell your doctor and the centre before booking, since some metal implants and certain pacemakers are not compatible with the MRI's magnet. They'll advise you on what's safe.
There's no one preparation that applies to every patient for this scan. Ask your doctor or the centre directly what they'd like you to do beforehand.
Yes, children can have this scan, though younger children may need to stay very still for a while, which can be a challenge. Ask your doctor whether your child needs anything extra, like sedation, arranged in advance.