How you prepare

To prepare for a breast MRI, you will need to take these steps:

• Schedule your MRI for the beginning of your menstrual cycle. If you're premenopausal, the MRI facility may prefer to schedule your MRI at a certain time during your menstrual cycle, around day three to 14. The first day of your menstrual bleeding is day one of your cycle. Let the facility know where you are in your cycle so that optimal timing for the breast MRI can be scheduled.
• Tell your provider about any allergies you have. Most MRI procedures use a dye to make the images easier to interpret. The dye is usually given through a vein in your arm. Let your provider know about any allergies to avoid complications with the dye.
• Tell your provider if you have kidney problems. A dye commonly used to enhance MRI images called gadolinium can cause serious complications in people with kidney problems. Let your provider know if you have a history of kidney problems.
• Tell your provider if you're pregnant. An MRI generally isn't recommended for women who are pregnant because of the potential risk of the gadolinium contrast to the baby.
• Tell your provider if you're nursing. If you're nursing, your provider may recommend that you stop for two days after your MRI. The American College of Radiology states that the risk to your baby from the contrast dye is extremely low. However, if you're concerned, stop breast-feeding for 12 to 24 hours after the MRI, which will give your body time to eliminate the contrast dye. You may pump and discard your milk during this period. Before the procedure, you can pump and store milk to feed your baby.
• Don't wear anything metallic during the MRI. Metallic objects, such as jewelry, hairpins and watches, can be damaged during an MRI. Leave metallic objects at home or remove them before your MRI.
• Tell your provider about implanted medical devices. If you have an implanted medical device, such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, implanted drug port or artificial joint, let your provider know before your MRI.