The Safety of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Programmable Implanted Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

Performing an MRI scan with the proposed protocol in patients with an implanted Medtronic programmable IDD system resulted in virtually no technical or medical complications.

The Polyanalgesic Consensus Conference (PACC): Recommendations for Intrathecal Drug Delivery: Guidance for Improving Safety and Mitigating Risks

“…A memory reset solved the problem after the first withdrawal episode, but the patient required pump replacement after the second withdrawal episode. However, a retrospective study examining 86 patients undergoing MRI , and a prospective study of 43 patients undergoing MRI over a three‐year period found no evidence of persistent motor stall or damage .…”

Perioperative and Periprocedural Care of Patients With Intrathecal Pump Therapy

“…De Andres et al studied 43 patients with either a Synchromed® ER or Synchromed® II who received MRI scans, and found virtually no technical or medical complications. For the study, the drug was removed from the pump and the patient was slowly introduced into the magnet to reduce the risk of sudden pump shift . In addition, while it is technically feasible to obtain an MRI, it is important to remember that the presence of the device itself may distort the MRI image, especially in the immediate vicinity surrounding the pump .…”

A Comprehensive Practice Guideline for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Compatibility in Implanted Neuromodulation Devices

“…A retrospective study of 86 patients who had Synchromed EL (Medtronic) IDDS and underwent collectively 112 MRI examinations with 1.5 T scanners had no adverse events (24). Similarly, a three-year prospective study of 43 consecutive patients with the Synchromed EL or Synchromed II who underwent a cumulative total of 59 MRI examinations, which included spine or head examinations predominantly demonstrated no adverse effects (25).…”