Questions in the Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum have been answered by Dr. Kevin Pho who is board certified in Internal Medicine and by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Question Title: About MRCP

Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Gastroenterology - General


I had wrote you a few days ago about having pancreatis from the ercp I had ran
a few weeks ago and stated about my intern wanting to do a MRCP and I appreciate
the help you have given me about my condition but my question this time is. I had
an orif on my right arm in "92 and I have a plate and 4 screws in my arm. I
thought with an MRI that they could not do it if you had any medal in your
body. Am I right? If this is true then where can I go from here? My intern
said they did not want to inject any more dye in me because of the pancreatis
that I got from the ercp. (Just in case you don't remember they could not see
in my bile duct during the ercp or when they did the lap gallbadder due to
unable to get guide wire in or scope in the duct). So what do you think they
will have to do if they are unable to do the MRCP? Is there any other test that
they can do that I will not have to go thru surgery? (I heard that a c-t scan
really doesn't let you see sludge in the bile duct. Which is what my intern
thinks is wrong with me.) Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for listening
to me. It's wonderful to have this because we can't call up our regular doctors
everyday and ask them questions sometimes because they are so busy. I try to
write down all my questions when I go in to see him but sometimes I forget
something. Thanks so much.

Dear Charlotte,

To answer your question I had to go to my radiology colleagues for some help. The answer I got was that an MRCP or MRI can still be performed with metal plates and screws in the arm. Firstly, the technician can move the arms out of the field of imaging. Secondly, the only metal that interferes with the MRI is metal that is mobile and not metal that is firmly implanted in muscle. Examples of metal which would not allow an MRI to be performed are pacemakers or surgical clips in the brain. I hope you find this information helpful.

This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.

If you would like to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.

HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: MRI, metal, contraindications

 

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