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An MRI scanner is a very strong magnet, so before every scan you will be asked about any implant, device, patch or metal in or on your body, even if you have had MRI before. Bring any implant card. Many implants, including most ports, can be scanned safely under set conditions, but the team needs to know the exact device. Tell the radiographer at once if you feel warmth or tingling.
MHRA guidance version 5.0 (2026) recommends four screening stages: targeted MRI questions on the referral (the referrer must identify implants and contraindications), questions at booking, a full screening form reviewed with the patient by an MR Authorised Person on arrival, and visual and verbal screening just before entering the magnet room; screening is repeated at every visit and completed before any sedation. Implant make and model should be in the operation notes and on an implant card, and the information should reach the unit before the appointment. Sites should have generic implant safety procedures for low-risk passive implants that do not need make and model, and otherwise identify the device and follow the manufacturer's MR Conditional terms. Where a condition cannot be met, the device is MR Unsafe, unlabelled or unknown, scanning may still proceed if benefit outweighs risk, after a documented multidisciplinary risk assessment (MR radiographer, MR safety expert, MR clinician, and a specialist such as a cardiologist for cardiac devices) with precautions and post-scan checks. Medicine patches with metal can burn, and heated fentanyl patches can cause overdose, so sites need a process for removing and replacing them. Patients with tattoos or permanent make-up report warmth at once. Burns can occur without immediate pain and are reported to the MHRA. Advice about specific devices is left to manufacturers and professional bodies (for cardiac devices, the Joint British Societies' recommendations, which were not read here).
Why: Finding out about a device early gives time to confirm it is safe rather than cancelling on the day.
“It is the responsibility of the referrer to identify those patients with implants and/or contraindications to MR before referral.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Whether a device can go in a scanner depends on its exact make and model.
“Surgeons and other medical practitioners should provide patients with accurate documentation and information about the medical devices implanted into them, for example, providing them with an implant card and patient information provided by the implant manufacturer.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Several checks give several chances to catch something missed, and things change between scans.
“Screening must take place every time the patient attends the MRI unit, even if the patient has already had a previous MRI examination either locally or at another facility.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Once someone is asleep or cannot speak for themselves, they cannot warn staff about metal.
“If a patient is to undergo sedation or anaesthesia for the scan, all required safety screening should be completed prior to its administration.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Many common implants are safe under known conditions; others need their own settings or limits.
“Where a local GISP does not exist, sites should have a process for identifying the make and model of the implant.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Some people need an MRI that their device was not tested for; a team decision with safeguards makes that possible without ruling them out.
“If the benefit to the patient of this off-label procedure outweighs the potential risk, then scanning can be undertaken.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Metal in a patch can heat up and burn, and a heated fentanyl patch can release too much drug.
“For example, patches containing fentanyl may result in a serious overdose if exposed to heat”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Loose metal can be pulled into the magnet, and some fabrics heat up.
“Patients should be scanned in appropriate MR SAFE clothing. Ideally, patients should be changed into clothing provided by the MRI unit to minimise the risk of burns.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Burns can start before they hurt, so an early warning matters.
“However, patients should be instructed to inform staff immediately if they feel any focal warming or tingling on their skin.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
Why: Reporting finds patterns that make scanning safer for others.
“Any patient burns must be reported via local incident reporting systems, and also to the MHRA.”
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 · ungraded
How care is usually carried out, read from the guidelines and standards cited. Your own team's protocol and their judgement come first; this page is for understanding it, not for doing it yourself.
MHRA Safety Guidelines for MRI Equipment in Clinical Use, version 5.0 (2026): four-stage screening repeated at every visit; implant make and model documented and known before the appointment; generic implant safety procedures for low-risk passive implants; manufacturer MR Conditional terms otherwise; a documented multidisciplinary risk assessment for off-label or unknown devices so that people with implants are not refused MRI by default; removal of metal-containing medicine patches; and instructions to report warmth. The guidance is ungraded and defers device-specific advice to manufacturers and professional bodies.
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026
| Recommendation | Grade, as printed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Generic implant safety procedures for low-risk implants “It is recommended that sites establish local generic implant safety procedures (GISPs) to allow scanning of low-risk implants without needing to establish the make and model.” | ungraded (key recommendation box) | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 |
| Off-label scanning decided by a multidisciplinary team “As a minimum this should involve an MR RADIOGRAPHER, an MR SAFETY EXPERT and the MR CLINICIAN.” | ungraded | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 |
| Do not rely on generative AI for MR safety advice “Caution is advised regarding use of MR safety advice obtained using generative artificial intelligence” | ungraded (key recommendation box) | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) 2026 |
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