MRI exams offer many advantages over other types of diagnostic imaging, including absence of radiation, accuracy, speed and versatility. If you talk with patients who have undergone an MRI, you’re likely to encounter many who will remember the loud noises the magnet makes during the exam. In addition to being safe, and pain-free, MRI machines can be loud.

At Coliseum, our registered technologists provide patients ear protection as well as headphones to listen to the music of your choice during your exam. There are exams in which the patient’s position in the magnet won’t allow for headphones, and in this case, the patient’s music choice will be featured over the speaker system in the exam room. In either case, make sure you choose music that you’re willing to resist the temptation to tap your foot or shake your shoulders because any patient movement can disrupt the image quality.

So why are MRI’s so loud? The large magnetic field created by the MRI machine is the culprit. Each MRI produces a magnetic field that is many times stronger than Earth’s, and this sudden release of energy is necessary for the machine to create an image of the patient’s body. This happens in rapid succession over the span of several minutes to form a comprehensive sequence of images to allow accurate diagnosis by the radiologist. The noise level of an MRI typically varies between 65-95 decibels, similar to a rock concert, which is why each patient is instructed to wear the provided ear protection to avoid any temporary hearing issues.