A Blog for Healthcare Consumers

The FDA recently released a warning regarding wearing a medicated patch during MRI. Some transdermal medication patches contain metal which can be heated by MRI and cause skin burns under and around the patch. Although most patches do have MRI safety warnings, the FDA recently discovered that several manufacturers did not have adequate labeling. The safety advisory applies to over the counter and prescribed medicated patches, including nicotine patches.

The FDA also recommended that patients:

• inform their doctor ordering the MRI of their patches
• inform the MRI scan center staff
• mark on the MRI screening form that a patch is being used

You can watch the FDA's advisory below and read more about MRI and metal.

MRI machines use a magnetic field to create images of the inside of your body. As these magnets are very powerful, they will attract metallic objects. As part of the preparation and screening for an MRI scan, the Radiology staff at the clinic or hospital will ask you about metal in your body.

Orthopedic hardware such as spinal rods, joint replacements and plates for fractures are safe. Braces and dental fillings are safe as well. That is, they won't move or "fly out of your body." Keep in mind that the MRI will slightly heat these up and you may feel a warm or tingling sensation.

Metal does interefere with the quality of the scan, particulary if the body part being scanned is near or has these metallic objects in it. So if you have braces and a need a Brain MRI, image quality will suffer.

If you have a pacemaker or medication pump the MRI can interefere with its normal function. It is not safe to go into the MRI scan room if you have either or both of these. You should inform your doctor and the Radiology staff.

Newer brain aneurysm clips are safe to go into the MRI machine but you should check with your doctor. It helps to have the name and type of clip that was placed. You can give this information to the Radiology center and they will look up to see if your aneurysm clip is safe for MRI.

If you use an oxygen tank or are in a wheelchair, you should inform the Radiology staff in advance. These should not go into the scan room. The facilty will have metal free wheelchairs and extension tubing for your oxygen tank.

If you have worked with metal in the past you should inform your doctor and the Radiology facility. Tiny metal shavings may be in your eyes.  These shavings can move when exposed to an MRI machine's magnetic field, potentially damaging your vision. You will need an x-ray of your eyes (orbits) to look for metal before your MRI scan.

These will be damaged by the magnetic field of an MRI scanner:

• Cell phones
• iPods
• Credit cards
• Pacemakers
• Medication pumps
  

You should remove these items as they could fly into the MRI scanner and injure you or the technologist:

• Metal pens
• Paper/hair clips
• Jewelry, piercings
• Keys, belt buckles 
• Oxygen tank, wheelchair
• Transdermal medication skin patches (skin burns)

If you have the following you should not go into an MRI scan room:

• Cardiac pacemaker
• Medication pump
  
• Metal in eyes