In this lesson
- What happens the moment the scan ends
- Who looks at your pictures, and who tells you
- Good questions to take to your doctor
Straight afterwards
The table slides out, the coil and pads are removed, and you sit up in your own time — take a moment, because people sometimes feel a little light-headed after lying flat.
If you had a cannula, it is taken out and a small dressing goes on. If you had contrast, you may be asked to wait nearby for a short while. That waiting is routine care, not a sign of concern.
Then you get changed and go. For a standard MRI without sedation there is nothing to recover from: you can eat, drive, work and carry on as usual. If you were given medicine to help you relax, you will have been told not to drive, and you will need someone to take you home.
Why nobody gives you an answer at the door
Almost everyone hopes the radiographer will say something as they leave. They usually cannot, and it is worth knowing why.
The radiographer’s job is to produce the images. Reading them is a different job, done by a radiologist — a doctor who specialises in interpreting scans. Reading an MRI is careful work. It often means comparing hundreds of images across several sets, checking them against your history, and sometimes comparing them with older scans.
The radiologist writes a report and sends it to the doctor who referred you. That doctor knows the rest of your story — your symptoms, your examination, your other tests — and is the person who can put the scan into context and talk about what happens next.
So the silence at the door is not bad news. It is simply the system working properly.
How long results take
This varies a great deal: between departments, between countries, and with how urgent your scan was. Urgent and inpatient scans are usually reported quickly. Routine scans take longer.
Ask before you leave. Two simple questions cover it:
- Roughly how long will the report take?
- Who will contact me, and how — a letter, a phone call, a follow-up appointment, or an online record?
Write the answers down. If that time passes and you have heard nothing, it is perfectly reasonable to chase it. Ring the doctor who referred you, not the scanner. Nothing is being hidden from you, but scans do occasionally sit waiting for an appointment, and a polite phone call is the fastest fix.
Questions worth asking your doctor
When you get your results, these questions help you leave the appointment understanding what you were told:
- What did the scan show, in plain words?
- Does it explain my symptoms?
- Was anything found that was not expected, and does it matter?
- What happens next — treatment, another test, or watching and waiting?
- Is there anything I should look out for while I wait?
- Can I have a copy of the report?
It is fine to take someone with you, to take notes, or to ask your doctor to say something again. A good doctor expects all three.
What people often ask
Can I have copies of my images?
Usually yes. Ask the imaging department how — many can provide them on a disc or through an online portal, sometimes for a fee.
The report mentions something incidental. Should I worry?
Scans are detailed and often show small findings unrelated to your symptoms. Most need nothing at all. Your doctor will tell you which, if any, need following up.
Do I need to keep the scan for the future?
The department keeps it. If you move or are treated somewhere else, tell the new team where and when you were scanned — old scans are valuable for comparison.
One thing to remember
The pictures are read by a radiologist and explained by your own doctor. Before you leave, ask how long the report will take and who will contact you — then you know exactly what to expect.
This is general information, not medical advice — your own imaging team knows your situation.
References
- NHS. MRI scan — what happens and getting your results https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mri-scan/what-happens/
- RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA/ACR). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Body https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/bodymr
- InsideRadiology (RANZCR). MRI info for adults https://www.insideradiology.com.au/for-health-consumers/mri-info-for-adults/