Pediatric Imaging - FAQs

Click here to view pediatric imaging services by location.

What time you arrive for your child's appointment depends on the type of imaging test they are having, or if they need sedation (medication to help your child feel more relaxed during a procedure). The care team will give you specific instructions before your appointment. 

Please bring the following items to your child’s exam:

• Your and your child’s identification documents
• A change of clothes for your child
• Comfort items, if needed. This may include a pacifier, blanket, jacket or other items. 

Dress your child in loose, comfortable clothing.

Whether and when your child can eat or drink before their exam depends on the type of imaging test they are having. If your child has to stop eating or drinking at a certain time before the exam, the care team will give you instructions. Your care team will also instruct you on administering vitamins and medications prior to the appointment. 

If your child does not need to stop eating or drinking before their imaging test, they can eat and drink as usual before they arrive at the hospital. Please note, no eating or drinking is allowed in the waiting rooms at Mass General for Children (MGfC).

If your child is showing signs of an illness, please reschedule the exam by calling 617-724-4207.

You can get a copy of your child's reports through Patient Gateway, the hospital's secure online portal. Here you will see your child's health information, schedule appointments, get test results, or message the care team.

If your report does not appear in Paitent Gateway, or you do not have access to Patient Gateway, please contact your ordering provider (provider who asked for your child to have the imaging exam).

To order images on a CD or DVD, please click here.

For most exams, you can stay in the exam room with your child. The x-ray technologist (person who takes x-rays) will tell you where to stand during the exam. If needed, you can help comfort your child during the exam as well.

An x-ray technologist will take the x-rays. A radiologist (imaging doctor) from MGfC will look at the images and report the results of the exam. Your child’s doctor will follow up with you to go over the results.

The length of the exam depends on how many x-ray images need to be taken.

Radiation doses, if needed, are very small. They are given based on your child’s weight. To learn more about x-ray radiation levels and safety, click here.

Yes, caregivers may remain in the room during the ultrasound exam.

The ultrasound technician (person who does ultrasounds) will apply a warm gel to the area being scanned.

Then, they will press a probe (the handheld part of the ultrasound machine that touches your child’s skin) against your child’s skin and moved back and forth until the desired images are captured. This does not hurt.

Once the exam is done, the ultrasound technician will wipe the gel off your child's skin. After the exam, your child can go back to their normal activities.

Ultrasound exams typically last 30-45 minutes.

Caregivers may be able to stay in the room with the child, based on the child’s need. The care team will support your child throughout the CT exam to help them feel as comfortable as possible.

Whether your child needs sedation (medicine that helps your child feel more relaxed during a procedure) depends on their age and whether they can stay still throughout the exam.

Contrast is a type of dye that safely helps your child’s organs show up clearer on the CT images. Contrast can be given orally (by mouth), intravenously (through an IV).

After the exam, the body naturally removes the contrast through urine or bowel movements.

For more information, click here.

Preparing before and after the CT exam lasts about 15-30 minutes. The length of the CT depends on the number of images that need to be taken. It takes only a few seconds to complete.

The care team customizes CT exams for each child based on weight, age, medical history and the body part being scanned. At MGfC, the radiation dose for CT exams is 10-30% lower than the national average doseLearn more about our commitment to reducing radiation exposure during radiology exams here.

To learn what to expect during an MRI, click here.

Caregivers may be able to stay in the room with the child, based on the child’s need. The care team will support your child throughout the MRI exam to help them feel as comfortable as possible.

Contrast is a type of dye that safely helps your child’s organs show up clearer on the MRI images. Contrast can be given orally (by mouth) or intravenously (through an IV).

After the exam, the body naturally removes the contrast through urine or bowel movements.

For more information, click here.

No. An MRI uses magnets and radio waves to take detailed images of organs and tissues. You can learn more about how to prepare for and what to expect during an MRI here.

MRI exams can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

A fluoroscopy scan is a safe, real-time x-ray that uses contrast (a safe dye that helps organs and tissues show up clearer) to make images of a joint or organs, i.e., stomach and intestines. Fluoroscopy allows the area being scanned in motion rather than through still images like traditional x-rays.

For most exams, you can stay in the exam room with your child. The x-ray technician will tell you where to stand during the exam. If needed, you can help comfort your child during the exam as well.

Contrast is a type of dye that safely helps your child’s organs show up clearer on the fluoroscopy images. Contrast can be given orally (by mouth), intravenously (through an IV) or rectally (through the rectum, where solid waste leaves the body). For certain studies, a bladder catheter may be placed to evaluate the kidneys.

After the exam, the body naturally removes the contrast through urine or bowel movements.

For more information, click here.

Yes. A fluoroscopy exam is similar to a traditional x-ray. Many safety measures are taken to minimize the dose to the patient and to the people in the room at the time of the study, including wearing a protective lead shield, and pediatric fluoroscopic doses which allow to decrease the radiation dose based on patient’s size, among other safety measures.

To learn more about X-ray radiation levels and safety, click here.

How long the fluoroscopy exam takes depends on the number of images that need to be taken and the type of exam.