First Cardiac Pacemaker Approved Safe for MRI exam
June 15, 2011
The FDA has approved the first cardiac pacemaker designed to allow patients with cardiac pacers to have an MRI exam.
Until now, patients with pacemakers were not able to have an MRI exam because the magnet would interfere with the
pacemaker's ability to perform reliably. It also was risky because the pacer wires could heat or cause tissue burns.
The new pacer, called the Revo MRI SureScan pacing system is made by Medtronic, and has already been placed in about
a dozen patients in the Bangor area. Each of our MRI technologists has completed certification to perform the MRI exams,
and FirstMRI has successfully performed the first exam on one of these patients. Everything went as planned, and we look
forward to seeing more of these patients in the future.
