title: Performing magnetic resonance imaging in patients with implantable pacemakers and defibrillators: results of a European Heart Rhythm Association survey.
abstract: The purpose of our survey was to evaluate the experience, current practice and attitudes of performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices. Fifty-one centre-members of European Heart Rhythm Association Research network have responded to the survey. According to the obtained data, 55.2% of responding centres do not perform MRI scans in patients with non-MRI-certified pacemakers and 65.8% in patients with such implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Reported complication rate in patients with non-MRI-certified devices is low and conforms to the literature data. Experience with newer MRI-compatible pacemakers and ICDs is limited to single cases in most centres. This survey shows limited experience with performing MRI studies in patients with implanted pacemakers and ICDs. In concordance with available guidelines, most centres limit MRI scans in patients with non-MRI-certified devices. The implant numbers for MRI-certified devices and experience with performing MRI scans in these patients are still low.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Heart Diseases, Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania. mrnsks@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Germanas
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marinskis
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bongiorni
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dagres
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobreanu
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lewalter
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blomström-Lundqvist
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*