“Can I still get an MRI?” is one of the most common questions after a device implant. For most people today, the answer is yes — with some planning.
What “MRI-conditional” means
An MRI uses a powerful magnetic field, which can interfere with a heart device. A device labeled MRI-conditional has been designed and tested to be safe in the scanner as long as a specific protocol is followed. Most pacemakers and ICDs implanted in recent years are MRI-conditional.
Two things matter:
- The generator (the device itself) must be MRI-conditional, and
- The leads (the wires) must be too. An older lead with a newer generator — or a mixed system from different implants — may not qualify.
Your device ID card lists whether your system is MRI-conditional. We can also confirm it from your records.
What has to happen for the scan
- The MRI center must follow the manufacturer’s specific settings and conditions.
- The device is usually reprogrammed just before the scan (so the magnetic field isn’t misread) and set back to normal afterward — done by a trained device technician.
- You’ll be monitored during the scan.
This is routine at centers that do it regularly — it just needs to be arranged in advance.
If your device isn’t MRI-conditional
Sometimes a scan is still possible at experienced centers under a careful protocol, and sometimes an alternative test (CT, ultrasound) answers the question instead. We’ll help weigh the options with the doctor who ordered the scan.
Before you schedule
- Tell the ordering doctor and the MRI facility that you have a pacemaker or ICD.
- Bring your device ID card.
- Check with our office first — we’ll confirm your system is MRI-conditional and coordinate the reprogramming.
For the broader picture of daily life with a device, see Living with an ICD or your printable device handbooks.