According to Shu, the website for each neurostimulator manufacturer must be consulted for very specific protocols for conducting MR scans on such patients. Otherwise the MR scan can bend and heat leads, create torque at the suture points, turn the devices on and off and create unwanted stimulation for the patient.

Shu noted the neurostimulator market was projected to grow 112 percent over the next five years and reach more than $6 billion.


“It is important to develop an institutional policy for conducting MR on these patients,” she advised.

Krzysztof Gorny, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medical Physics at Mayo Clinic, spoke about safety concerns related to invasive MR procedures. His specialty is MR-guided focused ultrasound cryo and laser-ablations of cancer tissues.

“There is significant risk associated with these procedures,” Krzysztof told the audience. “There are three to four hour procedures with a lot of people in the room sometimes using new equipment.”

Because there are more people on interventional teams, they need to be educated about MR safety on an ongoing basis.

“We’ve had issues with small objects from experienced staff, such as a pair of surgical scissors or a flashlight, becoming airborne,” he said.

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