Brain mri

[WalkidianNY]

Hello fellow valver's

Have a quick question, saw the neurologist for some dizziness that I have been having lately.
He wants an MRI w/contrast to rule out any bad situation in there!
However I've never had one and asked my cardiologist and said its ok to have an MRI, the problem is.. We don't know what type of valve I have all I know is a mechanical mitral valve that was put in 1987 when I was 6 years old! I've tried to get medical records to no avail. Any insight? Thanks..

 

[AZ Don]

I'm not sure what relevance the heart valve type has to a brain mri, but there is an article on the history of mechanical valves here: http://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(03)01815-0/abstract. With this you can identify the valves that were available in 1987 which narrows down the possibilities. Many are still in use today. I wonder if an MRI gives enough detail to ID the valve? Even if it did I can't imagine using an MRI for that purpose. It's my understanding that mechanical valves are expected to last a lifetime, even from 1987.

 

[RobThatsMe]

I'm not sure what relevance the heart valve type has to a brain mri, but there is an article on the history of mechanical valves here: http://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(03)01815-0/abstract. With this you can identify the valves that were available in 1987 which narrows down the possibilities. Many are still in use today. I wonder if an MRI gives enough detail to ID the valve? Even if it did I can't imagine using an MRI for that purpose. It's my understanding that mechanical valves are expected to last a lifetime, even from 1987.

I believe that it is more concern of what the valve is made of since MRI rely on magnetic imaging.
Most heart valve manufacturers indicate if their valve is safe for MRI's.

 

[Superbob]

I agree with Rob. The MRI exerts a powerful magnetic force that can have bad effects if metals that are not MRI-safe are in play. We had to be extra careful when my wife had an MRI to be sure that it would not harm her brain aneurysm clip (had to furnish documentation from her neurological surgeon to the MRI techs before they would proceed.)

Here is an expert explanation:

http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty_mr

Surely data exists somewhere on your type of replacement valve and whether it is MRI-safe.

 

[dick0236]

I had the same problem a few years ago and was denied an MRI of upper spine because of my "unknown valve". None of my doctors had any old records as they normally purge records after 6-7 years. I wrote the hospital and explained my problem and they still had a few of my surgical records on "micro-fish" and I was able to prove to Edwards Lifesciences that I had one of their old Starr-Edwards valves. Although the exact model of my valve remains unknown, they where able to provide a card and MRI info based on their best guess of valves available at the time. Because of the time it took to resolve this issue, I never did get the MRI.....but, at least I'll have it if it ever comes up again. Your surgery was 20 years after mine and maybe the hospital retained some of your record. Good luck!

 

[WalkidianNY]

As always....
Thanks for your responses, I'm getting my monthly pt check tomorrow and will certainly talk to my cardiologist about it!
I guess I just wanted to see if there was a straight answer to this.

 

[Freddie]

I had the same thing done, no one told me that the MRI machine was going to be noisy....not sure if ear plugs would have helped - they'd probably say no them them anyways.

If one can assume, you have wires holding your sternum(?) together, the MRI magnets will pull on them...yes even if it's just taking pictures of your head. I had to shout "stop" because it was starting to get uncomfortable.
Just a heads-up.

 

[ottagal]

I had the same thing done, no one told me that the MRI machine was going to be noisy....not sure if ear plugs would have helped - they'd probably say no them them anyways.

If one can assume, you have wires holding your sternum(?) together, the MRI magnets will pull on them...yes even if it's just taking pictures of your head. I had to shout "stop" because it was starting to get uncomfortable.
Just a heads-up.

Gee, Freddie. I don't know what kind of MRI you had done, but I have had 2 since my heart surgery and both times they provided me with ear muffs. I also had to fill out a form before to make sure there weren't any contraindications. I wrote down sternal wires and they said sternal wires would not be an issue, Luckily I never felt any discomfort at all and one of my mri's was a cardiac one directed right at the heart valves that lasted an hour! Did you have something else other than sternal wires that might have contributed to the discomfort? Now, holding my breath for as long as they needed throughout that hour was another challenge!

 

[Agian]

Walkidian, why don't you ring up the radiology people and ask them?

 

[dwhist]

I had the same thing done, no one told me that the MRI machine was going to be noisy....not sure if ear plugs would have helped - they'd probably say no them them anyways.

If one can assume, you have wires holding your sternum(?) together, the MRI magnets will pull on them...yes even if it's just taking pictures of your head. I had to shout "stop" because it was starting to get uncomfortable.
Just a heads-up.

I have had MRI's in the past. Two since heart valve. One for lower back and another for shoulder. If you feel it will be uncomfortable, ask doctor for something to relieve anxiety. He gave me a couple of xanax to take before MRI and I had no problem getting through it.

 

[WalkidianNY]

Good morning! So I was able to speak to my cardiologist about and he said its no problem to have an MRI apparently I have a Medtronic hall valve (1986) he said they are able to tell through echos, and I've had many of those!
So yes.. I'm getting an MRI on Thursday of next week!
Wish me luck please.

 

[Freddie]

Gee, Freddie. I don't know what kind of MRI you had done, but I have had 2 since my heart surgery and both times they provided me with ear muffs. I also had to fill out a form before to make sure there weren't any contraindications. I wrote down sternal wires and they said sternal wires would not be an issue, Luckily I never felt any discomfort at all and one of my mri's was a cardiac one directed right at the heart valves that lasted an hour! Did you have something else other than sternal wires that might have contributed to the discomfort? Now, holding my breath for as long as they needed throughout that hour was another challenge!

The MRI was of my head/neck. The uncomfortable part was feeling the wires pull, which they were aware of. There was no anxiety. The ear muffs and music didn't help with the thumping/droning noise of the MRI - maybe it's was/is just a old MRI machine lol

 

[mom2angel]

good luck on your MRI. I've had MRIs and EEGs on my head since heart surgery. I had brain surgery 9 years after my second valve replacement. I never had any discomfort or anxiety during my MRIs or EEGs. I never felt my wires pulling, either. I honestly don't know if I have wires holding my sternum together. I do have wires in me that were used on an external pacemaker. they were left attached in case I needed another pacemaker. they are irrelevant in this day and age, but it was a pretty ingenious idea in 1982 when I got my first valve.

sounds like you are just a year younger than me, and we both got our valves in the 80s. Good luck again!

 

[Lynlw]

One of the other concerns with MRIs and metals, is the chance of them heating. MOST parts involved recent with OHS are not a usually a problems, Justin has 1 sternal wire (only one they left when he had the sternum infection) and a couple small clips for bleeders, the one thing he does have that has caused concerns w/ MRI is the old pacer wires for the pacemaker he had removed, their main concern was the wires heating. It ended being ok'd by the "MRI safety Committee" but took a while for them to ok it, and the first time at that center he had a sign a paper releasing them, since he had had a couple MTIs with the wires with no problem, we felt the chance of risk as low. He did fine, but it took a while and was frusrtating

 

[mom2angel]

walkidian,

now you've got me curious? you still have the valve you received when you were 6 years old? I got mine when I was 2 years old, and was always told that I would have to have it replaced with an adult sized valve by the time I was 10. I ended up not needing it until I was 13. But, I was just curious if you still had your original valve. Mine was replaced with a larger one to keep up with my heart growing as I aged.

Also, do you still go to a Pediatric cardiologist, or do you go to a normal one. I go to a Pediatric Cardiologist, but I always have fun toys to play with in the waiting room :tongue2: