J
Janetlee
I have had a mechanical valve since 1999. I may need to have an MRI and need to know how/if this would affect my valve. Any information?
Janetlee
Janetlee
Help Support Valve Replacement Forums:
Hi Janetlee,
I'm not familier with all the newer valves but if you have a St. Jude mechanical like I do, then it's no problem.
The St. Jude valve (and maybe some of the others as well) is made out of carbon. There is no metal for an MRI to pick up.
In addition to that chest wires are of a non-magnetic metal so they are not a problem either.
Rich
I'm not familier with all the newer valves but if you have a St. Jude mechanical like I do, then it's no problem.
The St. Jude valve (and maybe some of the others as well) is made out of carbon. There is no metal for an MRI to pick up.
In addition to that chest wires are of a non-magnetic metal so they are not a problem either.
Rich
Marty
Well-known member
Bottom line- MRI OK with mechanical valve. At my lab we do them all the time. You should still tell the MRI tech and the radiologist.
Janetlee,
I have a St. Jude valve and my factory ID card for it states "MRI COMPATIBLE". If you got a card with yours the information may be on it.
I have a St. Jude valve and my factory ID card for it states "MRI COMPATIBLE". If you got a card with yours the information may be on it.
fyrfytr
Well-known member
Hi Janetlee,
You should of gotten a Patient Identification Card for St. Jude Medical. It has your name, serial #of the valve, model #, Surgeon, Hospital on it. It will also say in large red letters MRI COMPATIBLE. If you don't have one you need to contact your hospital or St. Jude.
Take Care
You should of gotten a Patient Identification Card for St. Jude Medical. It has your name, serial #of the valve, model #, Surgeon, Hospital on it. It will also say in large red letters MRI COMPATIBLE. If you don't have one you need to contact your hospital or St. Jude.
Take Care
John & Joann
Well-known member
MRI is NOT compatible with a pacemaker!
H
Harpoon
Not all pacemakers are built the same though either, right?
Dunno, have limited experience on them.
If you're not sure about your valve and it's compatibility, you should be able to AT LEAST contact the hospital where your surgery was performed and ask about it, if not contacting your surgeon directly or, as was stated above, having an identification card that goes along wiht your spiffy new valve.
I've got a St. Jude's too, plus the card which I carry with me all the time in my wallet. I've gathered from reading in here that not everyone has one of those cards. It's not just a SJM thing, I believe every manufacturer in the US is required to hand them out to valve recipients, though I'm not sure on that....
In any case, you should be able to contact the hospital where you got yoru valve and ask them for the particulars.
Dunno, have limited experience on them.
If you're not sure about your valve and it's compatibility, you should be able to AT LEAST contact the hospital where your surgery was performed and ask about it, if not contacting your surgeon directly or, as was stated above, having an identification card that goes along wiht your spiffy new valve.
I've got a St. Jude's too, plus the card which I carry with me all the time in my wallet. I've gathered from reading in here that not everyone has one of those cards. It's not just a SJM thing, I believe every manufacturer in the US is required to hand them out to valve recipients, though I'm not sure on that....
In any case, you should be able to contact the hospital where you got yoru valve and ask them for the particulars.
