Your Child’s Radiology Visit

Scheduling your child’s radiology visit

Please follow these steps to schedule your child’s radiology visit:

  1. Your child’s health care provider will fax or electronically send us an order to schedule an appointment.
  2. One of our radiologists will review the form to ensure the correct imaging is scheduled.
  3. We will call you to schedule an appointment. Weekend/evening appointments are available in some instances.

If you have any questions, please contact our scheduling department at (650) 497-8376. We are available:

Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday: 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Preparing for your child’s radiology visit

If your child will require general anesthesia, one of our radiology team members will call you two or three days before your child’s appointment. Otherwise, we will call the night before your child’s appointment. The staff member will:

  1. Confirm your child’s appointment.
  2. Provide you with instructions.
  3. Answer any questions you may have.

If your child is having an MRI, please read this important information before your child’s MRI.

Things to bring to your child’s radiology appointment

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

  1. Your child’s insurance card
  2. A valid form of photo identification for yourself
  3. A completed MRI prescreening form, if your child is having an MRI (MRI prescreening form in English/ MRI prescreening form in Spanish)

We will also ask you to provide your child's legal name and date of birth.

Arrival time

Please be sure to arrive on time for your child's appointment. This will help us provide the best care to your child and our patients.

If your child is scheduled to receive general anesthesia, please plan to be at the hospital a minimum of 4 hours.

If your child is NOT scheduled to receive general anesthesia, please plan to be at the hospital a minimum of 2 hours.

Your child's comfort

Our kid-friendly environment and team of pediatric specialists will help your child complete a radiology examination as quickly and safely as possible.

Movies and music
For many exams, including certain MRI, ultrasound, and fluoroscopy exams, your child can choose movies or music from our library of 400 films and albums to enjoy during his or her exam.

Child Life specialists
A Child Life specialist can help your child understand and prepare for a radiology procedure. Our goal is to help your child complete his or her procedure while avoiding anesthesia, whenever possible. Your child can speak to a Child Life specialist shortly before his or her MRI, CT or fluoroscopy procedure. The session will be appropriate to your child’s developmental level and needs.

If you think your child would benefit from additional preparation a few days before a procedure, you or your child’s referring health care provider can request an appointment with a Child Life specialist when your child’s appointment is scheduled.

Anesthesia during radiology visits
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford pediatric anesthesiologists provide a full range of services from sedation to general anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will come to meet you and your child before the examination and will stay with your child throughout the examination. You can stay with your child until the anesthesia takes effect. Once the examination is done, you will meet your child in our Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).

Examinations that do not require anesthesia 
If your child does not require anesthesia, you will be able to stay with your child throughout the examination.