Pacemakers and MRI procedures

Yes

by AgentX86 - 2021-03-11 19:01:25

Several here have had MRIs.  The only problem I had was getting someone to do it.  I was on vacation when I needed it but the hospital there didn't want anything to do with it.  They gave me a CAT scan and said that's all they could do.  When I got back, the hospital here didn't really want to do it and made me jump through hoops for a month.  Ny cardiologist had to get involved and sign off on it, relieving their radiologist of responsibility, I suppose.

When I had the MRI (head) I was in and out in less than a half hour.  Their pacemaker tech just coppied my settings in to his laptop, set my PM to save mode, and I was good to go.  In the MRI room I just dropped my change and keys onto a counter next to the machine and lay down on the "conveyor".  Had the MRI, collected my stuff, and went out where the PM tech downloaded all of my previous settings from his laptop to my PM and I was out of there.  Easy.

Again, the problem was to get people to line up to do it.  The PM card with all of the device and lead information on it is useless. 

MRI Procedure

by Gemita - 2021-03-11 19:51:33

Hello Tac,

Yes my 82 yr old husband has had a thoracic spine MRI and I am on the wait list for MRI cervical spine.

There is a lot of confusion out there about the safety of giving an MRI to a pacemaker patient which is why it is so hard to get clearance for the test and it is often necessary to go to a large centre/hospital for the imaging since the smaller clinics may not have the experience or expertise in dealing with pacemaker patients in an MRI environment.  

As long as certain MRI conditions are met/set by the radiographer before giving a pacemaker patient an MRI and I attach a link (for Medtronic pacemakers) and providing your pacemaker and leads are both MRI safe, there is absolutely no reason why we cannot safely enjoy the benefits of MRI imaging. 

Before the start of my husband’s MRI he had a chest X-ray to check position of his leads and had his device placed in safe mode for the duration of the procedure.  Afterwards he had another chest X-ray to check the device and leads hadn’t moved, then his device settings were restored as previously and he was free to go.  

I agree totally with AgentX86, it can be a nightmare finding someone who understands what is required and who is able to authorize the procedure.  I wish you luck and a lot of patience !

https://www.medtronic.com/us-en/healthcare-professionals/mri-resources/implantable-cardiac-devices/patient-scanning-process.html

mri

by new to pace.... - 2021-03-11 20:06:54

I agree with the others . The only problem is that you need to go to a large Hosipital to have the MRI.  They will contact your pacemaker rep. to make  sure they are there when you need them.  I had it done for my shoulder, once all was in place was quite easy.

new to pace

Discussion with scanning lead at local hospital

by atiras - 2021-03-13 07:42:48

I haven't had an MRI but (while waiting for a CT scan) I got into disussion with the lead scanning technician.  He said: I'd be happy to do an MRI for you -- we'd get the pacemaker rep in and also have your cardiologist on stand by. We do them quite often.

MRI and pacemakers

by TAC - 2021-03-15 11:20:10

The strong magnetic field produced by the MRI, can disable or damage the pacemaker. That’s why most radiologists refuse to do it. There are very strict rules to follow if an MRI has to be done. The patient has to sign an affidavit that he accepts all the risks. In some very risky cases it won’t be done.

It's not just the static magnetic field

by crustyg - 2021-03-15 19:32:27

There are two issues with MRI for folk with a PM.  The obvious one that everyone knows about is the concern that some part of the PM or leads might be ferromagnetic. It would literally migrate out of your chest with a 1.5Tesla field applied.

The more subtle issue is the pulsed magnetic field that generates the magnetic gradient that all MRI depends on (the frequency of the chirp of energy emitted as the RF-excitation field stops and the protons relax is a function of magnetic field, and if this gradient is known, then the signal location can be calculated => position information => scan picture).  It's this pulsed RF+magnetic exploration field that makes the banging noise inside the machine during a scan, and it induces large voltages in any metallic conductor inside the field == the PM leads.  The induced voltages can easily swamp the PM's sensing and cause pacing failure, but also cause significant heating of the leads.

At least one contributor here has managed to get an MRI with a PM+leads system that wasn't fully MRI-safe, and reported feeling local heating.  This stuff matters, so the radiologists take a lot of care to avoid this. And it's a real PITA while they satisfy themselves that we're OK for their MRI scanners.  Took my local big hospital nearly two months to agree to a scan for me.  Scan itself was no trouble at all (need to have EP-tech set PM to a safe mode and still have some pacing function during scan and then reset PM back to usual settings afterwards).

MRI next month

by TraJac71 - 2021-03-21 01:24:06

I will be having one next month. I called St. Jude myself because I was curious what "conditional" meant. I was told that the radiologist needs to be aware to use less than 150 Tesla. My cardiologist is referring me to a nephrologist for a kidney MRI with the help of St. Jude. Should be interesting....LOL

Pacemaker company tech

by Tictictic - 2021-03-21 23:08:02

I just had an Abbott (St Jude's) PM put in last month. The Abbott tech told me my pacer was MRI compatable but...and a big but...she needed to be there also to manage the PM before and after the MRI. Don't know if this applies to you but it is fresh information to me. 

MRI and Medtronic Pacemaker

by gtssenior - 2022-01-20 12:31:41

I may have a MRI on my head, investigating Asymetric Sensorineural Hearing Loss (one ear hears better than the other at mid frequencies).  A MRI was suggested by ENT but not strongly.  That aside, I did some research on Medtronic pacemaker issues.  My model is considered MR-Conditional according to the Medtronic web site under a category Azure MRI Surescan.  I don't want to play doctor here, but the web site says "Do not scan a patient without first programming the MRI SureScan mode to On".  Bottom line is to involve your cardiac electrophysiologist before the MRI.  I have not decided yet to have this MRI because my hearing does not seem that bad, but I thought I would pass along my research.