Fred wrote:
> Someone is spamming a bunch of newsgroups with "Come and look at my tattoo
> site". The MS newsgroup I belong to (yes I have MS)
How were you diagnosed? I know someone who had tingling in their hand
and, for whatever reason, the doctor ordered an MRI and discovered
lesions on their brain. MS was diagnosed.
> said that while they knew this was spam not to get iron oxide tattoos because they will
> interfere with MRIs.
Can you reword that? I mean, do you believe a tattoo can interfere
with MRIs? And, if so, to what degree?
http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/cgi/co...full/232/3/635
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/183/2/541
>From the info there, I gather that occurrence of MRI interference are
rare and that any possible harm is not significant especially in
relation to the possible benefit of the procedure.
> While scanning a part of the body that is tattooed I can see there might be a problem.
Define problem.
> Will an iron oxide tattoo on say the arm interfere with a scan of the head?
No.
Or not unless you're waving your arm around your head during the scan.
D'OH!
> My last MRI they just had me pull down my jeans and not take them off.
> If the metal buttons on my jeans did not interfere I can't see how a tattoo
> would. I take out my piercing before my MRIs just in case. I don't currently
> have any iron oxide tattoos. Is this poster spouting bullshit or not?
Imo, it's BS.
Wait, what exactly was the poster spouting again? That an iron oxide-
ink tattoo would make a person's tattoo explode or cause complete
incineration of the body? Because, then, no. BS.
My last (and only, so far) MRI, the technician asked if I had a tattoo
and then inquired about the location. When I said the tattoos were
located at positions X, Y, and Z while the MRI area of interest was
far removed the aforementioned X, Y, and Z areas, the tech said
something like, "Oh, good."
Regardless, I'm still here. ;o)
However, I would not discount the psychological impact of being
slooooowly run into a coffin-like instrument and then HELD THERE for a
seemingly infinite period of time, oh, say, with a fan blowing in your
face, while a technician directs you not move a muscle. At all. Ever.
For JUST another few minutes (forEVER).
Given that scenario, I can well imagine someone screaming, "I'M
BUUURRRRRRNING UP! GET ME OUTTA HERE!"
Anyway, no burns here.
--
Curt