knee injury

My ICD is a ST Jude implanted 9/11. Anyone know if it is MRI compatible?

7 Comments

knee injury

by laterbabe - 2014-11-29 07:11:01

Thank you for all your comments. I will be making phone calls after the holiday weekend.

Actually you need to check

by Theknotguy - 2014-11-29 11:11:26

Actually you need to check on the St. Jude website. I'll give you another site which indicates which St. Jude devices are MRI compatible. In any case I'd check with St. Jude, your EP, and the hospital. You may get three different answers but at least everyone is aware you have an ICD.

I have an Advisa DR MRI Surescan. From the MRI indication in the name you can guess it's MRI compatible. I've already had a MRI done. As they were wheeling me into the MRI room I was asking if I should be concerned and they said it wasn't a problem. Which it wasn't.

Note in the webpage info that follows they indicate you also have to have the MRI safe leads.

Website and quote follow:
http://www.mrisafety.com/SafetyInfov.asp?SafetyInfoID=306

"Accent MRI and Accent ST MRI Cardiac Pacemaker Systems, St. Jude Medical

The Accent MRI and Accent ST MRI Cardiac Pacemaker Systems (Models PM1224, PM2224, PM1226, PM2226, PM1124, PM2124; St. Jude Medical, Inc., St. Paul, MN) have been designed and tested for performance of a full-body MRI scan, using a 1.5-T (Tesla) field-strength MRI scanner. The St. Jude Medical MR Conditional Cardiac Pacemaker System must be used in conjunction with the Tendril MRI Pacing Lead or other MRI leads from St. Jude Medical. The system must be used in accordance with MR Conditional labeling requirements.

NOTE: There are several different MR Conditional pacing leads that may be used with the Accent MRI and Accent ST MRI Cardiac Pacemaker Systems.

For more information please visit http://www.SJMprofessional.com/MRI

Important note to MR Healthcare Professionals: Different MRI guidelines may exist for different countries. As such, use the appropriate information for your country. "

Hope you get a good report.

MRI safe ICD

by golden_snitch - 2014-11-29 11:11:47

No, it's not. The FDA has so far only approved very few devices for MRIs, and I think those are all pacemakers or CRTs. I might be wrong about that, but I think St. Jude does not even have an MRI safe pacemaker on the U.S. market, yet. They are still waiting for FDA approval. Medtronic is currently doing a trial with an MRI conditional ICD in the U.S., but there is no FDA approval, yet; it's a clinical trial.

However, I think our member "Bostonstrong" recently had an MRI done with a St. Jude pacemaker that is not officially MRI conditional, and everything went well. See:
http://www.pacemakerclub.com/public/jpage/1/p/story/a/storypage/sid/33432/content.do
Maybe you can contact her and ask for the details.

Good luck!

Inga

MRI

by Bostonstrong - 2014-11-29 12:11:46

Sorry about your knee injury, I had knee surgery in March so I am really sympathetic. My ortho left me hanging for 2 months because of not being able to get an MRI, not cool.
They usually will not risk melting your leads unless it is deemed critical. As a runner I thought my knee was more critical than my brain but not everyone sees it that way. Your ortho can do a diagnostic scope and hopefully fix the knee issue that way.
I had to push my EP to get the brain MRI, it took 4 weeks to get it approved. It is not FDA approved, and it is not covered by Medicare. Private insurance usually follows Medicare rules so I don't know yet if my insurance will cover it.
I hope they get your knee back to full use soon.

I checked

by golden_snitch - 2014-11-29 12:11:58

Theknotguy, I checked the St. Jude website, before I replied. The Accent pacemaker has not been FDA approved for MRIs, yet. And even if it had, does not mean that their ICDs are MRI safe, too. As I said, the only MRI safe ICD that is being tested in an FDA approved trial is by Medtronic.

Different situation in Europe, but in the U.S. the FDA is very strict and needs a very long time for approval - which is in my opinion better than what we do here with the CE mark -, so lots of MRI-safe devices that are on the market here, are still awaiting FDA approval.

Inga

knee injury

by laterbabe - 2014-12-03 10:12:04

I found out I cannot have MRI. Oath doc says Cat Scan won't show tears, so all he is offering is injections.
Does this mean my injury and any possible future injuries cannot be diagnosed? I find this hard to believe. Any comments, advice?

St. Jude ICD - Not MRI friendly

by ricshannon - 2014-12-07 05:12:45

My St. Jude ICD is not MRI friendly. I would check yours before you commit to any scans or imagery work.

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I have an ICD which is both a pacer/defib. I have no problems with mine and it has saved my life.