Pre-screening
Thank you for your interest in our studies!
General pre-screening questions
If you can answer “no” to the following questions, you may be a candidate for one of our research studies. If you answer “yes” to some, you may still be a candidate for a study, but we will need to discuss your answers further. Also, please let us know if you have had an MRI before.
- Have you ever had a surgery that involved implanting any metal or foreign devices inside your body? (pins, plates, screws, IUD, metal fragments, joint replacement)
- Have you ever had brain, eye, or inner ear surgery?
- Do you have any tattoos?
- Do you have any body piercings that you cannot remove?
- Have you ever worked grinding or welding metal at any time in your life?
- Are you afraid of being in small spaces (claustrophobic)? (For example, would you be comfortable hiding under a bed in a game of hide-and-seek?)
- Are you possibly or known to be pregnant?
- Do you have a known heart condition?
Participation details
You would be asked to come to 710 North Fairbanks, Olson Building, and take the elevators to the basement MRI Research Room. Participation in a research study will last about two hours. Most time slots begin at 10:00 am and the last appointment is usually at 3:00 or 4:00 pm (Monday through Friday). During this time, we would go over the consent form and you would fill out a pre-screening form. Then you would put on a hospital gown and lay down on the scanner table. We would place some electrodes on your chest for an ECG and give you headphones before going into the scanner. You may be in the scanner for about one hour, sometimes a little more or less but not to exceed one hour and 30 minutes. You may or may not be asked to hold your breath a series of times. Breath-holds usually last for about 10 or 12 seconds, occasionally as low as five or up to 20 seconds.
You will choose to participate in either a contrast or non-contrast study. A non-contrast study (no intravenous injection) compensates you $30 cash at the end of your visit. A contrast study would be the same procedure but would involve using a needle to start an IV before you go into the scanner. During the scan you would be injected with a contrast agent called gadolinium, which is one of the same contrasts that patients get in the hospital. The contrast study compensates you $50 cash at the end of your visit.
It is important to note that we cannot issue you an official report of your research scan. However, we will inform you if an abnormality is observed. If that is the case, one of our study doctors would inform you and/or your physician for the recommended follow-up.
We are happy to answer any questions that you may have. If you would like to be scheduled for this research study, we can send you an email of available time slots. we will need to speak with you before your appointment can be confirmed.
Thank you and we appreciate your interest!