MRI of the heart
The MRI examination is becoming more and more important within the scope of diagnostic possibilities. It is therefore particularly important for patients with an artificial heart valve to know whether they are allowed to have an MRI examination performed on themselves or whether they should be advised against it. The artificial heart valves in use today are largely made of carbon.
Chemically speaking, carbon is a hydrocarbon. This hydrocarbon is non-magnetic, so you could have an MRI scan. However, older models of artificial heart valves may contain other substances that could be magnetic.
It is therefore important for patients to check their heart valve passport and show it to their doctor before each MRI examination, so that he can decide whether the examination is possible at all. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary to check whether the artificial heart valve is firmly seated in its anchorage. The MRI examination generates a magnetic field that creates certain deflection forces.
Although these forces are extremely low, theoretically there can be minimal displacement if the heart valve is not firmly seated. In principle, however, it can be said that the artificial heart valves installed nowadays are almost all unproblematic for an examination by MRI. However, older models of artificial heart valves may contain other substances that could be magnetic.
It is therefore important for the patient to check his heart valve passport and to show it to the doctor before each MRI examination, so that he can decide whether the examination is possible at all. Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary to check whether the artificial heart valve is firmly seated in its anchorage. The MRI examination generates a magnetic field that creates certain deflection forces.
Although these forces are extremely low, theoretically there can be minimal displacement if the heart valve is not firmly seated. In principle, however, it can be said that the artificial heart valves installed nowadays are almost all unproblematic for an examination by MRI. Nearly all available artificial heart valves are suitable for MRI.
Metal objects prove to be problematic in MRI, as they heat up during the MRI.However, only the ferromagnetic ones (i.e. those influenced by magnetism) are affected, since MRI works via magnetic forces. However, the materials used in artificial valves are all non-ferromagnetic. Only those who still have an artificial valve from before 1969 in their hearts should find out more about it, since at that time MRI critical materials were still being used.
