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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / January 2005question about MRI's
Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm interested in knowing if I can have an MRI. Can you have an MRI if you have a metal plate in your body? Inquiring minds would like to know. :-) Carol > Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm > interested in knowing if I can have an MRI. Can you have an [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Carol No, I have a stainless steal bar in my jaw & when Sarah had an MRI they wouldn't even allow me near the room. They can do a CT scan though. GramPaHugs, Alex, -- Any information is included for informational or entertainment purposes only, is based on my personal experiences & is an expression of my opinion. **************************************************** * Love radiating from 45.10n x 93.30w M/SP Mn * <a href="http://home.mn.rr.com/apbiii">AOL Click</a> * <a href="http://grampahugs.ath.cx/">AOL Click</a> **************************************************** > Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm interested > in knowing if I can have an MRI. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Carol i think it depends, carol. they hand you a long checkoff list, before the mri, that the tech asks you questions about. plates and screws are on that list. but i was told that some of the newer materials used are not a problem. you need to ask your ortho for details about your plates and screws, the materials they're made of, in relation to having mri's done. i do know that the surgical steel screw heads (only fragments of screws) embedded in my thigh muscles, that are remnants from when the plates ruptured around my femur, were not a problem at all for my mri's. kate oh. and i was also told that the newer mri machines are somehow different than the older ones, too. not quite as magnetic? or something? sorry, i didn't pay too much attention to that part of the answer i received when i asked about the screw heads in my leg. kate kate >> Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm interested >> in knowing if I can have an MRI. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.827 / Virus Database: 564 - Release Date: 1/3/2005 I know I was told when discussing my cochlear implant surgery, that right now I wouldn't be able to get an MRI without having part of it removed temporarily, but that in the near future the machines would be OK with it. Jo > oh. and i was also told that the newer mri machines are somehow different > than the older ones, too. not quite as magnetic? or something? sorry, i [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.827 / Virus Database: 564 - Release Date: 1/3/2005 >I know I was told when discussing my cochlear implant surgery, that right >now I wouldn't be able to get an MRI without having part of it removed >temporarily, but that in the near future the machines would be OK with it. > > Jo w0w. interesting. i remember talking to my rd, some time back, when my rd was going to do an mri on my foot, i think. i think i remember her saying that as long as the metal couldn't move, it would be ok. i'm not sure if i remember that correctly, though. i know for the cervical mri the tech made me take everything out of my pockets, and even though my jeans had a metal zipper and metal button, i still wore them during the mri. for the second set, i had to do the same thing, but just pull them down a bit so the metal wouldn't mess up the lumbar films. i'm guessing at "mess up", cuz she just said they had to be below my butt and what was being scanned, but i didn't have to take them off either time. kate >> oh. and i was also told that the newer mri machines are somehow >> different than the older ones, too. not quite as magnetic? or [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). >> Version: 6.0.827 / Virus Database: 564 - Release Date: 1/3/2005 No...an MRI is a large magnet....no metal allowed. Janet R | Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm interested | in knowing if I can have an MRI. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] | | Carol Carol wrote and asked: > Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm > interested in knowing if I can have an MRI. > Can you have an MRI if you have a metal plate in your body? And Janet replied: > No...an MRI is a large magnet....no metal allowed. Was it in 2003 when a youngster - 8 or 9 years old - was killed when the MRI magnet picked up a fire extinguisher in the room and pulled it towards his head? I was told that I could not have one after the THR in 2000. > Carol wrote and asked: > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > I was told that I could not have one after the THR in 2000. whoa! yikes! poor kid and his family! i know i didn't have cat scans or pets. had a cat for my sinus surgery (that's a ring that moves around you) and i went with a friend who had a pet. now, you've got me wondering what i had done, cuz i had metal in my jeans and metal in my leg. they rolled me on this wheeled padded tray into this long but skinny tube, with air blowing on me and two tracks of light and speakers somewhere i couldn't see and the sucker made enough noise to wake up shanghai (shanghai is on the dark side of the planet when we have sunshine, right?) the report says---mri cervical spine w/o contrast procedure: Sagittal T1, T2 FSE. Axial T2 FRFSE and T2 gradient echo. (i have no idea what that gibberish means.) so, what was that, if it wasn't an mri? and if it was an mri, like they told me it was, how come i could wear jeans and how come the screw heads didn't rip out of my leg like flying scrapnel? boy, am i confused. major bigtime. oh, i just noticed their website www.medimagingnw.com i've gotta check it out now. this is too weird. kate well that's wild. according to the website, i should have been told to wear sweat pants, but wasn't. and i told the tech my jeans had a metal zipper and button and that didn't bother her. neither did the metal fragments in my leg. weird. nothing flew around nor felt like it was going to. jeans didn't move. my spine got very warm, but that's normal according to the website. i guess the T number stuff is about tesla strength (goes from 0.6 to 2.0). so the axial (or cross sections) were done at the highest tesla power and so was the gradient echo, whatever that was. couldn't figure out the rest of it in a quick looksee. the pictures of my neck were incredibly clear. gorgeous clarity, better than any black and white negatives (of any speed film) i've ever processed in my darkroom. looked digital to me. it definitely was an mri. whew! had me wondering. so, apparently some metal is ok. maybe i had a brand new state of the art machine? dunno. kate >> Carol wrote and asked: >> [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.827 / Virus Database: 564 - Release Date: 1/4/2005 It depends on the metal. I was told I could keep my earrings in, but I was asked if I had body piercings as evidently that jewelry is made from surgical steel and if you have a navel ring or jewelry in other private places, the machine will rip it out. When I asked the tech what would happen to things with metal in like that, she took a piece of chain from the drawer and held it close to the machine...it stuck straight out! So remind me never to get body piercings, LOL :)))) YIKES!! Carole :-) > well that's wild. according to the website, i should have been told to wear > sweat pants, but wasn't. and i told the tech my jeans had a metal zipper [quoted text clipped - 64 lines] > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.827 / Virus Database: 564 - Release Date: 1/4/2005 Cat scan and pet scan measure energy given off by cells....and MRI...when turned on...causes all your body's cell to align themselves facing the source of the magnet...giving a great visual image of soft tissue. Now that is very scaled down explanation that I learned in neuropsychology...someone else might be able to explain it better. Janet R | > Carol wrote and asked: | > [quoted text clipped - 40 lines] | Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). | Version: 6.0.827 / Virus Database: 564 - Release Date: 1/4/2005 Kate wrote: > boy, am i confused. major bigtime. oh, i just noticed their > website www.medimagingnw.com i've gotta check it out > now. this is too weird. I didn't check the "patient questionaire", but did learn quite a bit from the following (note the occupation and hobbiest): Magnetic Resonance Imaging Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations have become one of the most frequently ordered diagnostic technologies. This is because MRI uses radio waves and a strong magnetic field .... (editted) MRI equipment is categorized according to magnetic field strength. Low field units are about .6 Tesla and are suitable for some brain and spine imaging. However, the image quality is not as precise as the higher field strength units such as the 1.5 Tesla MRI units. The 1.5 Tesla units produce the best image quality and provide superior brain and spine imaging as well as orthopedic imaging of the joints. Patients should wear non-metallic, comfortable, loose clothing such as a jogging outfit and tennis shoes. There is a very strong magnetic field, which exerts considerable force on paramagnetic or metal objects and disturbs electronic devices placed in the field. It is imperative that patients notify the MRI technologist in advance if they have any metal objects on, or in, their bodies. If patients have any of the following, they should not go into the strong magnetic field of the MRI magnet: Cardiac pacemaker or Artificial heart valve Cerebral aneurysm metal clip in the brain Other surgical clips Insulin pump Cochlear implants Additionally, please inform the MRI staff prior to your appointment if any of the following apply to you: In the first trimester of pregnancy Are a metal worker or hobbyist Have other metal (pins, screws, plates) or prosthetic implants (i.e. hip, knee) Are involved in certain types of manufacturing Are a victim of a car accident Let us know if you have any tattoos, permanent eyeliner, multiple metal tooth fillings or orthodontic braces. Also make sure to remove any earrings or metal items from body-pierced locations. The magnetic field will also erase the magnetic strip information on credit cards. What to Expect During Your Examination At the beginning of the examination, you may be asked to remove your eyeglasses, hearing aids, and/or any non-permanent dental appliances. y'know, was thinking about the check off list i had to hand the tech each time, which incidentally is waaaay longer than the list of items on the web site. i think some things automatically rule you out for an mri. and i think the tech just needs to be informed of some of others on the list, so that s/he can tell on the screen being looked at while the patient is in the tube, that it is the implant doing the distorting and not that the machine is malfunctioning or maybe, so that more fine-tuning/adjustment has to be done to tweak the image a little better. kate > Kate wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 58 lines] > to remove your eyeglasses, hearing aids, and/or any > non-permanent dental appliances. That reminds me that the tech told me the buckles on my Birks wouldn't be any problem and I could leave them on for my MRI. I told her I'm happiest when barefoot, generally, and they were easy to kick off anyway.  SignatureNann remove the Gator cheer to email me Simply the thing I am shall make me live --- William Shakespeare > I didn't check the "patient questionaire", but did learn quite > a bit from the following (note the occupation and hobbiest): [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > to remove your eyeglasses, hearing aids, and/or any > non-permanent dental appliances. chief, i had the mri of my shoulder. my thr didn't bother that. gwen > Carol wrote and asked: > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > I was told that I could not have one after the THR in 2000. > chief, i had the mri of my shoulder. my thr didn't bother that. Is the THR glued or screwed? it is screwed in. gwen > > chief, i had the mri of my shoulder. my thr didn't bother that. > > Is the THR glued or screwed? depends on the type of metal. I have had MRI's and have had multiple joint replacements Karen > No...an MRI is a large magnet....no metal allowed. > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > | > | Carol > No...an MRI is a large magnet....no metal allowed. Not just metal, but certain metal salts, such as found in some coloured tatoos (your skin cooks at the tatoo in an MRI). However, I'm fine with a permanent lower retainer behind the teeth in my lower jaw as well as bilateral hip replacement, so there's a significant amount of metal in me that's fine in an MRI. I just can't bring my crutch into the room! Cheers, Ari > Janet R > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > | > | Carol Signaturespammage trappage: replace fishies_ with yahoo I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. To jump to the end of the story, as a result of this I need a bone marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ I have a partial toe replacement, metal plate in cervical with screws, and some metal coils in my abdomen holding a net in place for hernias. I have had MRI's with all this. In fact, one MRI was a cervical procedure and the plate only caused some distortion which could not be avoided. GaryZ > Since I now have a lovely plate and screws in my arm, I'm interested > in knowing if I can have an MRI. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Carol When I had my wrist MRI in November, I mentioned to the tech that I had worn sweats instead of jeans because of the metal zipper. He told me that the metal zipper on jeans would have been okay. At one of my other MRI's...can't remember which one, I asked the technician why metal causes a problem. She said something about the metal can cause burns on the body. Or maybe I'm not remembering that correctly. I have an idea. I'm going to post this question on the short arm board that I found. This board if for people who have had or are having the procedure that I had done. Someone there may know something. Thanks to everyone who has responded. I'll let you know what I find out. I'll also ask my surgeon next week when I see him. Carol I got a response to this question in the ulnar shortening group. One gal said that she just had an MRI of her elbow and has a plate in the same arm. The plate is down closer to the wrist, but I was surprised that she had an MRI, let alone that she had a plate in the same arm. A friend of mine just told me that she had an MRI of her foot last year and she has plates on both wrists. I'm definitely going to ask my doctor about this. Carol interesting. there either are different schools of thought about the mri vs. metal question or there are different machines. now, i have a really goofy question about mri's---did anybody else have a whole almond (not in its shell) taped to their spine (for thoracic and lumbar mri's) so that the tech could count bones????? or was the tech putting naive me on and i let her?LOL kate >I got a response to this question in the ulnar shortening group. One > gal said that she just had an MRI of her elbow and has a plate in the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Carol Do what? Tape an ALMOND to your back??? I have never heard of that....but that doesn't mean it's not helpful. I have heard of Almond facial scrubs...they make your skin nice a pretty! heheheheeheh How is that skin on your back looking these days!? Wonder Woman (Getting in her invisible jet and getting away from Kate!) | interesting. there either are different schools of thought about the mri | vs. metal question or there are different machines. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] | | kate Ok...I have my MRI paperwork in hand...I'm getting one on Wednesday. Lets see what it says: - No pacemakers, brain aneurysm clips or ear implants. While other metallic implants can cause image distortion, it is not life threatening and will cause no problems to you or the exam. -No metal in the eye area (flakes, shavings, splinters). If so, no MRI. (I shortened that explanation) -Rings are fine, but watches have to be removed. -Body piercing have to be removed if they are where the MRI is taking place. Belly ring for Lumbar spine...etc. -no metal hair barrettes or pins. Ok, that is all it says. Janet R | Do what? Tape an ALMOND to your back??? | [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] || || kate > Ok...I have my MRI paperwork in hand...I'm getting one on Wednesday. > Lets see what it says: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Janet R cool. now we know. thanks, janet. kate > | Do what? Tape an ALMOND to your back??? > | [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > || > || kate I've had numerous MRI's and I'm full of metal...they've always asked about it, but never done anything different at any of them. Just had one done on my shoulder 2 months ago, and was all the way in...so. I guess I don't understand it either! I have a plate & screws in my wrist, replacement hip, 2 replacement knees, and plate and screw in my achilles that tore away from the bone.....so I guess it's best to ask your doctor so he/she can tell you the latest on that. Never heard of the almond thing..but who knows with all this medical technology they have now.....lol Glad to hear you're doing good Carol......are you going to Florida in April...would be great to see you! Pic > interesting. there either are different schools of thought about the mri > vs. metal question or there are different machines. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.830 / Virus Database: 565 - Release Date: 1/6/2005 > Glad to hear you're doing good Carol......are you going to Florida in > April...would be great to see you! Thanks Pic! I am doing really well...much less pain than I had anticipated. And now that I have it done, it doesn't seem so icky to me anymore. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to go to Florida. I would love to go, but with all this time I'm having to take off of my new job, I'm not sure I want to push it by taking time off to go on vacation. Hope you're doing well! Carol > interesting. there either are different schools of thought about the mri > vs. metal question or there are different machines. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > lumbar mri's) so that the tech could count bones????? or was the tech > putting naive me on and i let her?LOL Folks at my lab use MRIs and X-rays for research purposes (about speech production and perception). People have used nuts of various sorts, usually pine nuts, as markers. Because of their high fat content, they are very distinctive on the radiographic images, and help correlate what shows up on the images with surfaces that aren't very distinct. They're like surveyor's markers. SignatureAF "Non Sequitur U has a really, really lousy debate team." --artyw raises the bar on rec.sport.baseball >> interesting. there either are different schools of thought about the mri >> vs. metal question or there are different machines. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > shows up on the images with surfaces that aren't very distinct. They're > like surveyor's markers. that makes sense. whew! thanks, alice. i thought i'd been "had" so well, that i still didn't know it for certain.LOL tech forgot to remove it and boy, was that a challenge for me to remove from my back when i got home. tip for anybody in the same predicament: a bamboo backscratcher does the job of removing the nut and tape nicely.LOL kate > "Non Sequitur U has a really, really lousy debate team." > --artyw raises the bar on rec.sport.baseball tip for anybody in the same predicament: a bamboo > backscratcher does the job of removing the nut and tape nicely.LOL Well, golly gee, Kate....ya learn something new everyday!!! LOL I have a bamboo backscratcher and will make sure I keep it in case I have an almond taped to my back someday!! ;-) Carol > tip for anybody in the same predicament: a bamboo >> backscratcher does the job of removing the nut and tape nicely.LOL [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Carol LOL! hey, i tried to get any one of my cats to remove it, but all three were entirely disinterested in the idea. geesh, such ingratitude for all the times i've brush a little matt out of their fur! i couldn't even guilt them into it. but, once i set the stupid almond down on a flat surface, all three pounced on it, like i just gave them a new toy. cats! go figure! ;-) kate > LOL! hey, i tried to get any one of my cats to remove it, but all three > were entirely disinterested in the idea. geesh, such ingratitude for all > the times i've brush a little matt out of their fur! i couldn't even guilt > them into it. but, once i set the stupid almond down on a flat surface, all > three pounced on it, like i just gave them a new toy. cats! go figure! > ;-) I've used my bamboo backstratcher on my dogs. You oughta try it on your cats. My dogs love it!! They both stand perfectly still and let me scratch away with that little bamboo hand!! LOL That almond just cracks me up Kate!! LOL Carol >> LOL! hey, i tried to get any one of my cats to remove it, but all > three [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Carol i tried that, carol. my cats don't go for the bamboo backscratcher being used as a backscratcher. so, we play catch the little wooden paw swooshing around on the bed with it. now, that they go for! sounds like your dalmations are even more hedonistic than my cats! LOL i can just hear your dogs, with you wielding that magical backscratcher---"woof. a little lower, pleeze. no. up a little higher. to the left a bit. no. i'm wrong. just a teensy bit to the right. there! (the sounds of tap-tap-tap-tap . . . can be heard, as the uncontrollable back leg toenails do their ecstacy dance from fur to floor) wuff, that's sooooo wooo000oooo000oof-terful! "LOL i can just see them!<giggling> i used to love almonds, you know, once upon a time . . . as long ago as last week. i'm not sure i will EVER feel the same way about them again, now. well, maybe i can forgive them the gyrations this almond put me through . . . as long as the rest of them are dipped in rich, dark, creamy chocolate! ??? kate Kate wrote: > interesting. there either are different schools of thought about > the mri vs. metal question or there are different machines. Perhaps it's the type of metal. Iron is magnetic - that's what electromagnets & transformers are made from, Steel is not (at least that's what HS science taught). As kids we used permanent magnets to see which coins could be attracted. Now what started this thread was the warning about a sking patch which may have an aluminum backing that could heat up and produce a burn. But aluminum is not magnetic. |
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