Introduction: Given that hypothermia cases have occurred in newborns after MRI with anesthesia and reproducing what was observed in centers visited overseas, we implemented a supervised protocol to evaluate the results of cerebral MRI performed without anesthesia or sedation in patients hospitalized in our institution. Objective: To display results of the protocol for performing cerebral MRI without anesthesia in our newborn patients. Materials and methods: A retrospective study, we evaluated cerebral MRI performed on newborns from september 2012 - july 2013. Protocol for performing MRI without anesthesia was applied in institutionalized patients. Variables are compared with MRI performed using anesthesia, during this period. Results: 22 cerebral MRI were performed, 14 without anesthesia. The duration of the study without anesthesia was 48 minutes on average, obtaining adequate images in 13 studies, reprogramming the examination with anesthesia in one case. Conclusions: The protocol implemented allows the acquisition of diagnostic-quality cerebral MRI, obviating the anesthesia.