Recent Blog Articles

Have lupus? What to know about birth control

Screening at home for memory loss: Should you try it?

Travel tummy troubles: Here’s how to prevent or soothe them

Easy, delicious summer veggie meals will help stretch your food budget

Tracking viruses: The best clues may be in the sewer

Promising therapy if PSA rises after prostate cancer surgery

Strong legs help power summer activities: Hiking, biking, swimming, and more

Should you try intermittent fasting for weight loss?

Why are you taking a multivitamin?

Could eating fish increase your risk of cancer?
Heart Health
Ask the doctor: Is it okay to have an MRI after getting a stent?
Q. I needed angioplasty in 2007 and had a stent implanted during the procedure. Due to another health problem, my doctor now wants me to have an MRI. Could this cause any problem with the stent?
A. Stents are metallic cages that hold open a coronary artery after angioplasty. Metallic objects placed in the body can pose problems for MRI scans, which use a strong magnetic field and pulses of radio waves to see inside the body. The magnetic field could dislodge the object, while radio waves could make it heat up. That kind of movement and heating has been reported for some cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. (MRI-safe pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are being developed.)
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!