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Is An MRI Advisable When Having A Pace Maker?

Posted on Sat, 17 May 2014

Question: My mother has a history of TIA she was in Hospice until January 2014, she has a PCP. My concern is she is experiencing gravel speech, while sleeping and awake becomes nonresponsive. She has a pace maker and an MRI at this point we have been told will cause damage to the pace maker. Is there a high risk to go ahead and have the MRI done and replace the pace maker?

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
High risk and danger to life.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
A MRI scanner uses high magnetic fields to generate pictures. A pace maker is an electronic device used to regulate the heart rhythms. In your mothers case if she takes an MRI, there are chances that the pace maker may malfunction and also get permanently damaged. This means it may send wrong signals to the heart and change the heart rhythms to dangerous levels and cause fibrillation and cardiac arrest.

It is strongly advised that she does not get MRI scans done unless you have it confirmed from the manufacturer of the pacemaker that it is MRI compatible.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar