Is It Safe to Have an MRI after Open Heart Surgery?

Open heart surgery, whether done to repair a heart valve, to bypass artery blockage, or for some other reason, has become common in the U.S. Coronary heart disease itself is said to be enormously common in North America, and the open heart surgery done for it is likewise common.

When MRI is Safe

Is it safe to have an MRI after open heart surgery?

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a scan that shows your doctor the inside of your body without having to perform surgery. MRI is painless, and no radiation is used in it. Cardiac MRI shows your doctor a detailed picture of your heart, including all of its chambers and valves. Cardiac MRI lets the patient avoid undergoing cardiac catheterization or other invasive procedure.

Because people refer to many procedures as open heart surgery, including some that are not, we will cover both as we look at the question.

* Cerebral Aneurysm Clip: If you have a metal clip in a blood vessel inside your brain, you should not have MRI.

* Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery: If you have had open heart surgery to bypass blockage in coronary arteries, it is safe to have MRI.

* ICD: If you have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), it is never safe to have MRI.

* Pacemaker: If you have a permanent, implanted pacemaker, it is never safe to have MRI.

* Stent: If you have a stent implanted, it is safe to have any kind of MRI if you wait at least 8 weeks after the date of implant.

* Valve Repair: If you have had a heart valve repaired in open heart surgery, it is safe to have MRI.

* Other: If you have had other open heart surgery, it is safe to have MRI.

MRI is rapidly becoming very important in both the initial diagnosis or coronary heart disease and the subsequent management of it. If you have had open heart surgery, MRI is probably the best tool your physician has for monitoring your progress.

CAUTION: The author is not a licensed medical professional. The information given here is for educational purposes only. Please discuss your questions about MRI with a qualified health care provider.