Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

MRI provides a means of "seeing" inside the body to identify certain diseases or abnormal conditions.

MRI has become the preferred procedure for diagnosing problems in many body parts. MRI can be used to see differences between healthy and unhealthy tissue in the brain, spine, joints, abdomen, blood vessels, and other body parts.

The most important part of preparing for your MRI is determining whether you have any metal or surgical implants that may be affected by the magnetic fields used in the MRI process. If you have any of the following, please get in touch with one of the Vancouver Coastal Health MRI facilities:

• Pacemaker
• Aneurysm clip
• Implanted electronic device
• Cochlear implant
• Recent surgery in the past six weeks
• If you are pregnant
• History of any eye injury involving metal fragments

MRI central intake provides referring clinicians with a central office to direct outpatient MRI referrals for 11 MRI sites across the lower mainland.

Information for referring clinicians

Referring clinicians can indicate a preferred MRI site on the requisition if desired. Please contact the relevant site's medical imaging department directly for urgent outpatient MRI referrals requiring imaging in less than 72 hrs. 

• Central intake will provide referring clinicians with a central fax number to direct outpatient MRI referrals for 11 MRI sites across the lower mainland.
• An updated regional MRI requisition will be introduced as part of the project. LMMI has been working with EMR vendors to support the ease of use of the new requisition form. 
• For the lumbar spine, hip, knee and shoulder referrals, an appropriateness checklist must be submitted with the requisition.
• Central intake will enable patients to be booked at the most appropriate lower mainland MRI site with the shortest wait time.
• Referring clinicians can indicate a preferred MRI site on the requisition if desired.