Does inactivating VT-detection and VT/VF-therapy allow safe performance of MRI in a patient with an ICD?
This case report demonstrates that MRI can be safely performed in a patient with an ICD by temporarily inactivating the device's tachycardia detection and therapy functions.
This is a report on a patient with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) who intentionally underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a malignant brain tumor. To avoid inadequate detection of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), the ICD was inactivated by programming the VT-detection and VT/VF-therapy status off. The patient came through the protocol safely and without any difficulty or discomfort. There was no arrhythmic event. MRI affected neither programmed data nor the function of the ICD system.
Wollmann et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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