Magnetic resonance imaging is a safe technique in patients with prosthetic heart valves and coronary stents

Abstract

The paper refers to the safety of MRI in patients with prosthetic heart valves or coronary stents. This condition is commonly regarded as a contraindication for MRI, where patients with these stents or valves are excluded from yielding the diagnostic imaging information provided by one of the most important noninvasive imaging modalities. On the basis of available evidence to date, all patients with prosthetic heart valves or coronary stents can safely undergo MRI at 1.5 T and the vast majority at 3 T. Keywords: metallic mechanical valve, bioprosthetic valve, coronary stent, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease