McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicineaffiliated faculty member Joon S. Lee, MD (pictured), associate chief in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, and doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) are the first in the region to begin implanting a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible pacemaker that was recently approved by the FDA. This new option is for patients with implanted pacemakers who in the past could not get an MRI done because of the scan’s potential to disrupt the pacemaker’s function.
“This new device allows patients to receive an MRI, which could lead to the detection and treatment of serious medical conditions that may not be found in patients implanted with traditional pacemakers,” said Dr. Lee, co-director, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
The number of patients with pacemakers is growing at the same time that the use of MRI is increasing. About 40 million MRI scans are performed annually in the United States, and it is estimated that more than 200,000 patients every year are unable to get an MRI because they have a pacemaker. MRI often is preferred by physicians over other scans because it provides detailed images of the inside of the body.
Physicians can put the new pacemaker, developed by Medtronic, on a special setting which allows it to safely be used while the patient is undergoing an MRI. Traditional pacemakers can misinterpret MRI-generated electrical noise and change the frequency of pacing or damage the pacemaker’s components.
“Medical imaging and electronic implantable devices such as pacemakers are important technological advances, particularly for older people,” said Andrew Voigt, MD, a UPMC cardiologist who has implanted the device in patients. “UPMC is proud to provide safer access to MRI for our patients. We encourage our patients to talk to their doctors about which pacing system is right for them.”
Illustration: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Read more…
UPMC Media Relations (05/25/11)
HealthCanal.com (05/25/11)
Medtronic
Bio: Dr. Joon S. Lee