Tattoo-Induced Skin “Burn” During Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Professional Football Player

Abstract

The authors present the case of a professional football player with an immediate and sustained cutaneous reaction (“burn”) at the site of lower extremity tattoos that occurred during magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis. The burn was attributed to an electromagnetic reaction due to the ferromagnetic metallic compounds found in tattoo pigments, especially iron oxide—a reaction that has the potential to distort the field of image. These compounds can theoretically create an electric current that increases the local skin temperature, enough to cause a cutaneous burn. “At risk” tattoos are those with black pigment or any other pigments containing iron oxide, as well as those with a design that displays loops, large circular objects, or multiple adjacent points. Patients who develop this reaction may be treated prophylactically or symptomatically with a cold compress to assist with completion of the examination. Alternatively, a towel or cloth may be placed between the cutaneous body parts in those patients who experience the typical reaction resulting from an electrical arc between 2 separate cutaneous tattoos. This is likely an underreported issue that merits mention in the sports medicine literature given the frequent occurrence of cosmetic tattoos in athletes requiring magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose a musculoskeletal injury. As in the present patient, no permanent sequelae have been noted in the literature. Therefore, patients who develop this reaction should be reassured that the reaction is only temporary.

Tattoos: Evaluation of knowledge about health complications and their prevention among students of Tricity universities

“…Inks used for tattooing contain filings of metals, which can theoretically create an electric current during magnetic resonance imagining that increases the local skin temperature enough to cause pain and skin burns. 19 Among the respondents with tattoos, most of them untruthfully believed that tattoos cannot interfere with the performance of certain diagnostic and therapeutic procedures including magnetic resonance imaging, surgeries, and diagnosis of melanoma and skin cancers. Regarding this latter question, as previously, a significantly higher knowledge is showed by the students from the Medical University of Gda nsk, as more than half of them answered this question correctly.…”

MR scanning, tattoo inks, and risk of thermal burn: An experimental study of iron oxide and organic pigments

“…Indeed, occasional case reports were published since the introduction of MRI in clinical routine about 25 years ago, but the literature is rather scarce and systematic and detailed studies are lacking . The relative paucity of reports indicates that adverse events related to MRI and tattoos are unusual or innocent, nevertheless, in one study observed in 1.5% having cosmetic tattoos .…”

Propofol Drip Infusion Anesthesia for MRI Scanning: Two Case Reports

“…6 There is a report of a tattoo-induced skin burn. 7 Additionally, there are some reports of bite blocks, spiral endotracheal tubes, and even cerebral artery clips either completely removed or displaced in the MRI room under general anesthesia. 8,9 Due to these reports, we undertook a risk mitigation strategy.…”