Phyllis, thanks for all the useful tips, and the great description of the MRI process. Like you, I was surprised by how LOUD it was; you'd think a sophisticated medical imaging machine would whir quietly, but as you say, lots of banging; sounds like you're in a trash can and someone is hitting it with a hammer! And thanks for the suggestion to take a sedative if you're claustrophobic, and to use mental imagery to stay calm; great advice. One more thing - don't ask the tech if s/he sees anything, and don't try to read anyting into facial expressions, or lack of any comment at the end; the person administering the test isn't allowed to give you even clue #1 about what the MRI shows. Thanks again, Phyllis - PJH