Lower Noise MRI — Has Anyone Used Silent Scan MRI

Has anyone undergone an MRI with a Silent Scan MRI by GE or some other MRI with noise reducing technology?

 

If you wear earplugs and earmuffs (both of which are typically provided by your radiologist) then the dB level of almost any MRI will be reduced to 85-90, which will not hurt you in the short time you'll be in the tube. I had mine in a Siemens machine in a room as small as a closet with no noise padding and it wasn't uncomfortable.

 

I specifically went to a GE Silent/Silenz scan, and it felt uncomfortable. A solid wall of noise that was not quiet!

That was today and my tinnitus is louder, which is not a surprise given how the mri felt.

 

I had a head and neck MRI today and drove to another state as they had silent scan. What a misnomer. It is NOT silent and certainly not only 4 decibles above ambient room noise as claimed by GE. While a little less noisy then regular, it was till VERY loud during numerous scan sequences

 

Absolute BS isn’t it. I complained to my hospital for misadvertising, and they completely palmed me off, saying it’s all within safe limits etc etc. Basically they didn’t give a sh*t, and we’re only concerned that they covered their own backs.

 

Did they claim it was silent scan too?

 

@AmericanJosh How are you doing post-MRI? I am in a position where I absolutely have to do a brain MRI for a serious neurological issue, but I have extremely reactive T and am very worried. I do know that although they can do most basic brain sequences with the GE Silent feature, they often do other sequences in addition, which are much louder. Do you know if your MRI involved some of the non-Silent Scan sequences? Trying to figure out if those are the problem and if a I can just say that I will only do those sequences that are part of the Silent/Silenz package and that will have to be good enough.

 

The MRI was certainly quieter than others I have had and there were times when the sounds were much quieter than others. I am fine post-MRI and don't think it caused any issues for me.