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The Safety of the Greenfield Filter for an MRI

Inferior vena cava, or IVC, filters protect the heart from blood clots that form in the legs. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, machines use powerful magnets to produce images, creating a danger for patients with metal implants; however, most IVC filters follow strict safety protocols.

  1. Indications

    • Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, and pulmonary embolism, or PE, are two of the primary reasons for IVC filter insertion. Both involve blood clots or other objects traveling through the veins to the heart and lungs. IVC filters catch these clots before they can reach the vital organs.

    MRI Machine

    • MRI machines create images using powerful magnets. The human body contains huge numbers of hydrogen atoms with magnetic nuclei. When a patient goes into the MRI machine, the magnets cause the hydrogen atoms to spin. It can then read this spin and create an image.

    Ferromagnetic Objects

    • Ferromagnetic objects are those which experience a strong reaction to magnetic fields. Certain devices, like specific brands of pacemakers, are ferromagnetic and cannot be placed in the vicinity of an MRI machine. IVC filters, on the other hand, are either non-ferromagnetic or only weakly so. Therefore, patients with IVC filters may undergo MRI examinations.

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