Hospital will not do MRI scan on Boston Scientific

I live in England. I had a single chamber MRI compatible Boston Scientific pacemaker fitted in July. It is Device L110 Lead 1 7742.
It shows on the Boston site as MRI Protection Mode, Full Body Scan, No Time Limitations.
My neurosurgeon referred me for a whole spine MRI scan at my local hospital. After a five week silence I contacted the surgeons PA. It seemed that she had not had an reply to their request for my scan and she was having trouble getting in touch with them again.
I don't know the make of scanner that they have but they eventually they told her that they will only scan Medtroninic pacemakers.
Has anyone else had a similar problem?

5 Comments

what mri safe means

by Tracey_E - 2016-01-21 01:01:57

Having an mri-safe pacer means there are some machines at some facilities that can safely do it following a protocol. Maybe the hospital can talk to BS? Is there another hospital?

Another hospital

by seasider18 - 2016-01-21 06:01:36

There is another hospital but it does not have a pacemaker clinic/technician so I would need to travel to the next town.
I did speak to the pacemaker clinic at my local hospital and they thought that it should not be a problem but are going to double check for me.
I find it strange that a hospital would now be fitting pacemakers they their imaging centre cannot scan.
Prior to the pacemaker being fitted I had a problem getting an MRI scan as they said that they could not scan people with tissue aortic valves. My protests got nowhere and they insisted on speaking to the surgeon causing a two day delay.

You may need a specialist radiology centre

by IAN MC - 2016-01-21 10:01:20

Hi seasider : I don't think that Drs in different specialities communicate with each other particularly well when it come to pacemakers :-

- a cardiologist decided which PM you would have. I would be amazed if he discussed his choice with the radiology dept before fitting it.

- a neurosurgeon decided that you need an MRI scan

- a radiologist probably decided not to do the scan

It seems to me that your neurosurgeon who wants the scan, should , in close liaison with your PM clinic,find an imaging centre which will do it.You don't say where you live in England but I would be surprised if the hospital in the nearest large town / city does not have the experience to do it.

You may have to travel though !

Best of luck

Ian

MRI yesterda

by BetsyQ - 2016-01-22 05:01:51

I had an MRI done yesterday on my back. It did take several weeks to arrange. I was told that they had to verify that their equipment was compatible with my Medtronic pm. It went very smoothly once I arrived. They take many precautions including have the Medtronic rep and a cardiologist in the room. I was hooked up to a heart monitor once the pm was shut down. It was a big deal though and they have to make sure all the equipment will work together.
Best of luck.
Betsy

Re specialist radiology centre

by seasider18 - 2016-01-23 02:01:35

One would think that EP's would fit pacemakers that their imaging centre could cope with.
I'm in Eastbourne, East Sussex where my pacemaker was fitted in July. I saw the neurosurgeon at the Nuffield Hospital in Haywards Heath. He suggested that I have the MRI in Eastbourne rather than travel to Brighton for it at the Royal Sussex Hospital. The Imaging Centre in Eastbourne is run by a private company InHealth within the NHS hospital for NHS and private patients. I'm paying for the scan but we were going to use the NHS to deal with the pacemaker.

You know you're wired when...

Lifetime warranty no longer gives peace of mind.

Member Quotes

A lot of people are and live normal lives with no problems whatsoever.