Articles · September 21, 2026 · 3 min read

How to prepare for an MRI in El Paso

What to wear, what to bring, what to tell us before you arrive, and what the exam itself feels like, from check-in to the drive home.

An MRI is one of the easiest exams to prepare for, and one of the most common to worry about. Nothing goes into your body, there is no radiation, and most people are back in their car within an hour. What makes the day go smoothly is knowing a few things in advance. Here they are, in the order they come up.

Before you book

Have your doctor's order handy. It tells us which part of the body to scan and whether contrast is needed, and both of those decide how long to book and which magnet to use. If your doctor's office has already sent it to us, you only need to give us your name and date of birth. If you are paying without insurance, how much an MRI costs in El Paso without insurance explains how to get the price for your exam.

When you call, tell us about anything metal in your body. Pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, insulin pumps, and some older stents matter. Joint replacements and dental work are usually fine, but say so anyway. We ask again at check-in; the point is to know before you drive over.

If small spaces make you anxious, say that too. Our West center on Castellano has a 3-Tesla wide-bore MRI with a 75 centimeter opening, and shorter exam times than a standard magnet. We can schedule you there. What a wide-bore MRI changes explains the difference.

The day before

Eat and drink normally unless we tell you otherwise. Most MRIs have no fasting rule. A few exams with contrast do; we will say so when you book.
Keep taking your regular medications.
If you were told to bring prior images or reports from another facility, put them by the door tonight.

What to wear

Loose, comfortable cotton clothing with no metal: no zippers, snaps, underwire, belts, or rivets. Sweatpants and a plain T-shirt are ideal. You may be given a gown for some exams. Leave jewelry, watches, hair clips, and anything with a magnetic strip at home. Your phone, keys, and wallet stay in a locker outside the scan room.

What to bring

Your doctor's order, if it was given to you on paper.
A photo ID and your insurance card.
A list of your medications and allergies. If you have had a reaction to contrast dye before, tell us.
Your glasses if you need them for paperwork; you will take them off for the scan.

Arrive 15 minutes early. Registration, the safety questionnaire, and changing take about that long.

During the exam

You lie on a padded table that slides into the opening of the magnet. The part of your body being scanned sits in the center. The technologist steps into the next room but sees and hears you the whole time, and you hold a call button.

The machine is loud. You will hear knocking, buzzing, and thumping in patterns that change as each sequence runs. We give you earplugs or headphones, and at some centers you can listen to music. Holding still is the one job you have; small movements blur the pictures, and a blurred sequence has to be repeated.

Most exams take 20 to 45 minutes. If your order includes contrast, a small IV is placed in your arm partway through. The contrast used for MRI is gadolinium based, not iodine, and a warm or cool feeling as it goes in is normal.

After the exam

You can drive, eat, and go back to work right away. If you had contrast, drink water through the rest of the day to help clear it.

One of our radiologists reads the images and sends a report to the doctor who ordered the exam, usually within a few business days. You can read the same report in the patient portal. If your doctor needs the images themselves, they can request them, or you can ask us for a copy.

Where to get an MRI in El Paso

Desert Imaging offers MRI at two centers: West, at 122 W. Castellano Dr., with both a 3-Tesla wide-bore magnet and a 1.5-Tesla magnet, and East, at 1727 Lee Trevino Dr., with a 1.5-Tesla magnet. Both are open weeknights until 10 p.m. and Saturdays until 9. Call (915) 577-0100 or request an appointment online.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Follow the instructions your doctor and our staff give you for your exam.

Ready to book your MRI and MRA?

Request an appointment online or call (915) 577-0100. Bring your doctor's order and we take it from there.

Request an appointment Call (915) 577-0100

# How to prepare for an MRI in El Paso *What to wear, what to bring, what to tell us before you arrive, and what the exam itself feels like, from check-in to the drive home.* September 21, 2026 · Desert Imaging An MRI is one of the easiest exams to prepare for, and one of the most common to worry about. Nothing goes into your body, there is no radiation, and most people are back in their car within an hour. What makes the day go smoothly is knowing a few things in advance. Here they are, in the order they come up. ## Before you book Have your doctor's order handy. It tells us which part of the body to scan and whether contrast is needed, and both of those decide how long to book and which magnet to use. If your doctor's office has already sent it to us, you only need to give us your name and date of birth. If you are paying without insurance, [how much an MRI costs in El Paso without insurance](/blog/how-much-does-an-mri-cost-in-el-paso-without-insurance) explains how to get the price for your exam. When you call, tell us about anything metal in your body. Pacemakers, defibrillators, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, insulin pumps, and some older stents matter. Joint replacements and dental work are usually fine, but say so anyway. We ask again at check-in; the point is to know before you drive over. If small spaces make you anxious, say that too. Our West center on Castellano has a 3-Tesla wide-bore MRI with a 75 centimeter opening, and shorter exam times than a standard magnet. We can schedule you there. [What a wide-bore MRI changes](/blog/claustrophobic-what-a-wide-bore-mri-changes) explains the difference. ## The day before - Eat and drink normally unless we tell you otherwise. Most MRIs have no fasting rule. A few exams with contrast do; we will say so when you book. - Keep taking your regular medications. - If you were told to bring prior images or reports from another facility, put them by the door tonight. ## What to wear Loose, comfortable cotton clothing with no metal: no zippers, snaps, underwire, belts, or rivets. Sweatpants and a plain T-shirt are ideal. You may be given a gown for some exams. Leave jewelry, watches, hair clips, and anything with a magnetic strip at home. Your phone, keys, and wallet stay in a locker outside the scan room. ## What to bring - Your doctor's order, if it was given to you on paper. - A photo ID and your insurance card. - A list of your medications and allergies. If you have had a reaction to contrast dye before, tell us. - Your glasses if you need them for paperwork; you will take them off for the scan. Arrive 15 minutes early. Registration, the safety questionnaire, and changing take about that long. ## During the exam You lie on a padded table that slides into the opening of the magnet. The part of your body being scanned sits in the center. The technologist steps into the next room but sees and hears you the whole time, and you hold a call button. The machine is loud. You will hear knocking, buzzing, and thumping in patterns that change as each sequence runs. We give you earplugs or headphones, and at some centers you can listen to music. Holding still is the one job you have; small movements blur the pictures, and a blurred sequence has to be repeated. Most exams take 20 to 45 minutes. If your order includes contrast, a small IV is placed in your arm partway through. The contrast used for MRI is gadolinium based, not iodine, and a warm or cool feeling as it goes in is normal. ## After the exam You can drive, eat, and go back to work right away. If you had contrast, drink water through the rest of the day to help clear it. One of our radiologists reads the images and sends a report to the doctor who ordered the exam, usually within a few business days. You can read the same report in the patient portal. If your doctor needs the images themselves, they can request them, or you can ask us for a copy. ## Where to get an MRI in El Paso Desert Imaging offers MRI at two centers: West, at 122 W. Castellano Dr., with both a 3-Tesla wide-bore magnet and a 1.5-Tesla magnet, and East, at 1727 Lee Trevino Dr., with a 1.5-Tesla magnet. Both are open weeknights until 10 p.m. and Saturdays until 9. Call (915) 577-0100 or request an appointment online.