MRI and heavy metals

[Tiger Lily 813]

Hi all, I am supposed to get an MRI, but am worried about heavy metal deposition and how the test might effect this. My particular concern is iron. Please let me know if anyone has encountered and researched this concern...
Thank you!

 

[Wishful]

I don't think that the strong magnetic field will have any noticeable effect on metal ions in the body. I expect that they would rotate in the field, then go back to random orientation. No chemical or other physical effects. They won't move to one side of the body or turn into supermagnets or whatever.

 

[lauluce]

I don't know if this is the kind of information you expected, but I know an epileptic child whose bran MRI showed "metallic deposits" in his brain. Of course there was no explanation from any doctor, such things are of course beyond their limits... By the way, I had ME for 20 years and in that lapse I took at least 6 or 7 brain MRIs and nearly 4 taken on other parts of my body apparently with no side effects. Good luck!

 

[caledonia]

You should be fine unless you're sensitive to EMFs.

 

[Tiger Lily 813]

@Wishful and @lauluce thank you so much!!! To be specific, I'm more concerned about suffering ill effects from the test due to my metal deposits (it is an MRI of the brain), not really worried about the quality of imaging or anything. As @Wishful put it, yes it's supermagnetics that I have me worried I don't really understand the science, but from what you're saying it should be alright though... thanks again!

 

[Wishful]

I also had a brain MRI done years ago. No noticeable aftereffects. It didn't show anything useful though.

 

[Silence]

Are they going to use Gadolinium based contrast agents? I would forgo it unless really necessary. I received my MRI 8 years ago and am still excreting GAD at high levels in my urine. There is growing research and focus on the growing concerns of GAD used in MRIs. Certain people develop disabling conditions after receiving it.

 

[Wolfcub]

I am due an MRI in September and don't foresee any issues. My instincts are okay with it.
Re: the contrast dye....my instincts are not so happy about that, and I really don't want it. But owing to a right sided head twinge pain which has been more or less constant for 3 months now, I can imagine the neurologist will want to check temporal arteries....(which no doubt will include dye) I am also in a bit of a quandary about it and would rather forego the dye-thing.
We will see. I am always the one who calls the shots anyway re: my own body!

 

[Tiger Lily 813]

Are they going to use Gadolinium based contrast agents? I would forgo it unless really necessary. I received my MRI 8 years ago and am still excreting GAD at high levels in my urine. There is growing research and focus on the growing concerns of GAD used in MRIs. Certain people develop disabling conditions after receiving it.

@Silence No dye! And I agree about skipping that.. I was just worried about the magnetic process of the MRI and how it would effect any iron deposits in my brain. I did have an MRI before I had iron issues, and it was ok then. @Wolfcub I'm sorry to hear about your pain and hope it just goes away!!

 

[Silence]

I am due an MRI in September and don't foresee any issues. My instincts are okay with it.
Re: the contrast dye....my instincts are not so happy about that, and I really don't want it. But owing to a right sided head twinge pain which has been more or less constant for 3 months now, I can imagine the neurologist will want to check temporal arteries....(which no doubt will include dye) I am also in a bit of a quandary about it and would rather forego the dye-thing.
We will see. I am always the one who calls the shots anyway re: my own body!

Hmm maybe ask your doctor if you can do it without dye. They were able to visualize my arteries w/o contrast , but I was told that the dye would make it clearer or light up or something like that.

 

[Learner1]

The FDA isdued a black box warning on gadolinium in MRIs last year:

https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/FDAInBrief/ucm589604.htm
Apparently you get a better image with contrast, but I've had 3 MRIs without, and the doctors saw what they needed to just fine without the gadolinium risk.

 

[Wolfcub]

@Tiger Lily 813 Thank you for your kind thoughts about me. That head pain thing is really no deal. I can hardly even call it a pain . It is only a slight odd twinge and never got worse. The one weird thing about it is it's been there for 3 months and I hardly ever had a headache in my life.

@Silence and @Learner1....thank you for what you both said about that. I find that really helpful. I just hope I get a neurologist who won't use it, or will listen to me when I say I don't want dye.

 

[Learner1]

You can print out the FDA warning and hand it to him.

 

[Wishful]

I didn't have any dye for my MRI. Maybe it's only needed for specific situations, but not for a general look around. It might also be that contrast enhancers were needed for the early machines, and are no longer necessary except in specific circumstances.

 

[Learner1]

Great news!

 

[Diwi9]

I'm scheduled for a MRI on Dec. 26th with and without contrast. I called to cancel the contrast and was told the facility no longer uses gadolinium. They now use Gadovist, which is gadobutrol. I will probably forgo this different contrast too as I know nothing about it and am not sure contrast is necessary for the purposes intended. I am now very curious about some symptoms that occurred in 2016 after I had received gadolinium...which at the time I was assured was safe.