|  | Conditions Treatments | Heart Attack

Pacemaker vs. MRI

While conventional medical wisdom states that anyone who has a pacemaker should never go in an MRI machine, many sub factors determine the actual risk involved in such a process. Additionally, there are ongoing technological efforts to make the two more compatible.

  1. History

    • Typically, pacemakers have been reported to fail when exposed to any kind of strong magnetic field, like those found in an MRI machine.

    Misconceptions

    • While there have been deaths reported in conjunction with patients who have pacemakers going through the MRI process, there is no way to establish a definite link between the two.

    Studies

    • Recent experiments that have been administered have come back with encouraging results for pacemaker patients. In an extensive study involving 54 patients, none experienced any side effects with their pacemaker.

    Advances

    • Since 2000, pacemakers have been made in such a way that they will interact with the effects of an MRI, continuing to regulate heartbeat without becoming dislodged or overheating.

    Controversies

    • Biophan Technologies Inc., a company in New York that based its business around creating special technology that would help the relationship between pacemakers and MRI's, disputes these findings, claiming there are other considerations involved.

Heart Attack - Related Articles