Data suggests patients with pacemakers can safely receive MRI

Jodelle Maglaya | | Health Imaging | Diagnostic Imaging

A new study found that many patients who have a pacemaker could safely get non-chest MRIs by reprogramming the device before and after the scan to prevent malfunction.

This serves as particularly good news for physicians who will have an easier time diagnosing a problem that is otherwise difficult to detect without MRI.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, detailed the team's findings using a registry developed in 2009 that logged cases of adults with a programmable defibrillator or pacemaker after 2001 and who received MRI.

Overall, there were 818 patients with pacemakers and 500 with implantable defibrillators from 19 U.S. centers who were evaluated.

Check out the results here: 

Many pacemaker recipients can safely get non-chest MRIs

Jodelle Maglaya

Jodelle joined TriMed Media Group in 2016 as a senior writer, focusing on content for Radiology Business and Health Imaging. After receiving her master's from DePaul University, she worked as a news reporter and communications specialist.

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