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MRI and Stents

Has anyone ever seen or heard of a problem in any patient who has undergone an MR exam following recent stent placement, i.e., within 24 to 48 hours?

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Current Postings on This Page (23):

• To Ray Z in Santa Monica -- My MRI was needed to diagnose an herniated disc. I discussed the pains with my neurosurgeon. he said these pains sometimes occur because of the brace used during the MRI. It can cause irritation of the nerves leading to the left side of the chest. Bottom line..no further pain in chest; neck is repaired.
Bruce, Houston, Texas, USA, May 6, 2008

• To Bruce in Houston TX - I have had 16 Coronary Stents inserted and a month later (after the 16th) a Cervical and Thoracic MRI - No problem. I need to ask. Was the Cervical MRI needed for an injury? Could the injury have also been in the thoracic area causing you discomfort? Perhaps you should look into this.
RayZ, San Marcos, California, USA, April 3, 2008

• Chandra -- if you look at the posts below from April 2005, you'll see that the U.S. FDA approved both Boston Scientific's Taxus and J&J's Cypher for immediate MRI. Best wishes.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, April 1, 2008

• Dear Sir I am awaiting permission from someone as to whether or not I am a candidate for MRI. In Oct 2006 I had two Johnson& Johnson Cypher 2 stents implanted. Now I am suffering from Tongue Carcinoma and advised MRI. Am I able to have the MRI? Please advice urgently.
R Chandra, India, March 31, 2008

• Bruce -- your story is very interesting. We know that the FDA cleared MRI for stents, but we're not sure if they tested for situations where there were 7 stents. You're the first person to write in with this problem to our Forum. You should share your experience with the FDA and please let us know how you are faring..
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, March 15, 2008

• Since 03/2006 I have had 7 stents placed (3 to resolve a failed bypass). Last stent was 2/21/2008. On 03/12/2008 I underwent an MRI of the cervical spine. The test was very uncomfortable and I was unable to focus when leaving the facility. I experienced significant chest pain centralized under the sternum most of the evening and was unable to sleep that night due to nightmares (which I never have). Today, 03/13/2008, I have not completely recovered. I will do my best to avoid an MRI in the future, no matter what the FDA says.
Bruce, Houston, Texas, USA, March 13, 2008

• Angela -- read the posts below. The FDA has cleared both Cypher and Taxus drug-eluting stents for immediate MRI.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, January 5, 2008

• CAN MY HUSBAND HAVE A MRI WITH TAXUS EXPRESS 2. PLEASE GET BACK WITH ME.
Angela M., Alabama, USA, December 29, 2007

• Due to a long term ongoing knee problem- osteoarthritis, I'm to understand that my doctor may be considering an MRI for this issue. However I do have two Multi-Link Vision Cobalt Chromium Coronary Stents in my right coronary artery. I'm to understand that this may represent a significant problem with doing an MRI... Is there a specific reason why?
Nita, Wichita, Kansas, USA, March 19, 2007

• Thank you for your very fast reply to me regarding my enquiry about having an MRI with two stents from June 2000. The MRI went well and no problems occured. Thank you.
Murray Berman B.Sc. Phm., Pharmacist, Toronto Ontario Canada, April 24, 2006

• Murray -- the two drug-eluting stents available in the U.S. were both approved for immedate MRI imaging last April. The Tristar is a bare metal stent made by Guidant. The IFU (Instructions For Use) from Guidant states "Do not perform a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan on patients post-stent implantation until the stent has completely endothelialized (eight weeks) to minimize the potential for migration. The stent may cause artifacts in MRI scans due to distortion of the magnetic field." Hope this helps. Please let us know how things work out.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, March 20, 2006

• I awaiting permission from someone as to whether or not I am a candidate for MRI. In June 2000 I had two Tristar stents implanted. Dec 31 2005 I fell on my left shoulder and have a full tear of of a tendon the Supraspatina. Am I able to have the MRI? My orthopedic surgeon is delaying surgery until he is told it is OK. I am assuming that in 2000 the stent was stainless steel ? Correct ? Thanks
Murray Berman B.Sc. Phm., Pharmacist, Toronto Ontario Canada, March 20, 2006

• In Aug. 2004 I had 2 coronary stents placed: ACS multi-linkpixel(13mm)and a Taxus Express2(20mm). During a cervical MRI on 10-28-05 I felt heat and vibration in the sternum and just left of the sternum in my chest about ten minutes into a proposed 30 minute MRI. It was an "open MRI". I stopped the test. Anyone have an explanation for this? Anyone have a similar experience? Would a "closed MRI" using less magnetism get me through this test? Any responses are greatly appreciated.
John Colarusso, patient, Bronx, NY USA, October 28, 2005

• Ashok -- the reason MRI scans were avoided in stent patients for several months after stent placement was to give the endothelium (inner lining of the artery) a chance to cover and anchor the stent -- there was concern that the strong magnetic field would dislodge the metallic stent. Now tests have been run (see postings below) that have shown this does not occur and the FDA now says it's okay to do an MRI immediate post-stenting. Your hypothesis is, however, theoretically interesting -- that the iron in red blood cells is attracted to a magnetized stent. I don't think the magnetism remains in the metal stent after an MRI, nor would it be strong enough to cause red cells to congregate -- of course, it would also be interesting to look at the data from stent patients who have had MRI scans and see if the restenosis rate is abnormal.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, September 30, 2005

• I had an angioplasty done at Apollo Hospital Chennai, India in December 1998 and then the doctors advised me to refrain from high magnetic field like mri scan for the first 6 months after angioplasty. In 2003 i had an MRI done and the doctors said it was ok. Being a physics student its scientific as the metal stent would be magnetised and then would attract cells therefore enhancing the chances of restenosis. All the best
Ashok Punjabi, ONGC, Delhi, India, August 25, 2005

• UPDATE2: Today the FDA approved the CYPHER stent from Johnson & Johnson / Cordis for immediate MRI as well. So now both the drug-eluting stents have been okayed for immediate MRI imaging!
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, April 20, 2005

• UPDATE: Just a few days ago, the FDA approved Boston Scientific's TAXUS stent for MRI-compatibility. This means that MRIs can be done immediately after stent placement. The company was able to demonstrate that no ill effects are caused by MRI. This has something to do with the stent designs, but also to the fact that newer generation MRI scanning uses lower fields of power than the older machines, thus the effect on metallic stents is nil. You can read the company's press release here. Other stents may possibly be safe as well, but the TAXUS is the only one currently approved by the FDA.
Forum Editor, Angioplasty.Org, USA, April 09, 2005

• Is there a length of time one should wait after a coronary artery stent is put in before allowing a patient to have an MRI study, or can MRI be done safely immediately or a couple of weeks after stent placement? Keith T. Chesser, M.D. UAB Medical West Dep. of Radiology Birmingham, AL
Keith Chesser, M.D., UAB Medical West Radiology, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, M.D. on Thursday, February 17, 2005

• My husband had a drug eluting stent placed in his aorta July 2004. He needs to have a MRI for a shoulder problem. Will the MRI have any effect on the stent or the dosage of the drug due to the heat?
Pat Tenvold, Redwood City, CA 94062, October 16, 2004

• I am 48 year old female who underwent MRI and MRA April 19,1999. I had stainless steel implant done in December of 1999. I was frightened about having this done because I am not familiar with the strength of the magnetism of the MRI. I kept repeating to those doing the test that I had this implant and they didnt seem concerned.
Patricia C., Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, 26 Apr 2000
 
• As a magnetician, engineer and physicist, I can understand the question relating to so-called non-magnetic stainless but I assure you your concerns may be unfounded. Your question assumes that the force on the stent caused by huge MRI magnetic field will move the stent against the surrounding tissue. Since the stent is embedded in soft tissues I cannot see any such relative motion effects coming into place. All tissue in question will "tug together" if at all. The strain will occur well away from the stainless/artery boundary, if at all. Also since the mass of the stent is so small, any resulting forces will be small as well.
Matthew Dugas, Advanced Research Corporation, Minnesota, USA, November 22, 1998

• As an engineer who has received a Palmaz-Schatz stent over two years ago, I am very interested in the answer to this question also. My guess is that a hi-energy magnetic field may cause migration of even the so called "non-magnetic" stainless steel stents, possibly causing fracturing of plaque and or separation of arterial tissue.
Michael Izzi, patient & engineer, Long Island, New York, USA, May 16, 1998

• Has anyone ever seen or heard of a problem in any patient who has undergone an MR exam following recent stent placement, i.e., within 24 to 48 hours?
Jerry Breen, MD, Dept. of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA, February 6, 1998

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