The Cinderellas of the scanner: Magnetic resonance imaging 'pre-scan' and 'post-scan' times: Their determinants and impact on patient throughput.

Background: Increasing demand for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has contributed to extended patient waiting times worldwide. This is particularly true in resource-limited environments, prompting this institutional workflow analysis.

Objective: To determine the 'pre-' and 'post-scan' times for normal-hour MRI studies conducted at a tertiary-level, public-sector South African hospital and to assess any association with demographic details, patient characteristics, anatomical site and scan parameters.