3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging scanning on different body regions in patients with pacemakers.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3.0T is becoming more common, but there is a lack of sufficient evidence on the safety of a 3.0T scan in patients with pacemakers. This study aimed to investigate the safety and practical concerns of 3.0T scans for patients with MR-conditional pacemakers. Twenty consecutive patients were enrolled. A standardized protocol was developed by cardiologists, pacemaker engineers, and radiologists. Pacemaker interrogation was performed immediately before and after the scan. Scan-related adverse events were documented, and imaging quality was graded as level 1 to 4 by radiologists. Twenty-three MRI scans of different body regions (brain = 13, lumbar spine = 4, cervical spine = 2, and heart = 4) were performed, and the average time of a scan was 25 ± 11min. No significant changes in sensing amplitude (atrial 3.1 ± 1.1mV vs. 2.9 ± 1.2mV, P = 0.71; ventricular 9.3 ± 3.5mV vs. 10.2 ± 3.4mV, P = 0.46), lead impedances (atrial 647 ± 146Ω vs. 627 ± 151Ω, P = 0.7; ventricular: 780 ± 247Ω vs.711 ± 226Ω, P = 0.36), or pacing threshold (atrial 0.6 ± 0.2V/0.4ms vs. 0.6 ± 0.2V/0.4ms, P = 0.71; ventricular 0.7 ± 0.3V/0.4ms vs. 0.7 ± 0.2V/0.4ms, P = 0.85) were observed pre- and postscan. No adverse events were detected. Image quality review showed grade 1 quality in 16 patients and grade 2 quality in 4 patients with artifacts of pulse generators and leads in cardiac MRI scan and no impact on diagnostic value. Our initial data indicated that 3.0T scanning might be feasible under a standardized protocol with good diagnostic imaging quality irrespective of body region in patients with MR-conditional pacemakers.