ICD - protection of radio frequency

[ccronan]

My doctors want me to have an ICD for VT (my heart is strong and I only sometimes get dizzy, just feel a flutter).  But I am a scientist and use ESR, an instrument that has high magnetic fields and RF in the microwave region.  I am told, uh-uh.  I am also told to stay away from spark producing equipment such as gas-driven lawnmowers and snow blowers (I live in Wisconsin).  

My question.  As far as the sparks are concerned, as a scientist I am aware of something called the Faraday Cage. A company makes such a device in the form of a T-shirt woven with interspersed metal thread.  Can this actually protect against spark generated RF?  Microwaves?  My question is if anyone has ever tried this.  

Is there anything that can protect against strong magnetic fields?  ESR spectroscopy is similar to MRI, only you don't enter the electromagnet.  ESR is used to study free radicals, and that has been my post-retirement career.

I understand that magnetic fields turn off the ICD and the sparks can fool it into thinking I would have VT.

Another question.  I have stable pulmonary fibrosis that needs a CT scan maybe once a year.  Doesn't an ICD preclude that from ever happening again?

Thanks.

[Cleveland Clinic]

I am not aware of any shielding equipment used to successfully prevent ICDs and their leads from sensing stron magnetic currents. I would suggest you contact the largest of the ICD companies, called Mddtronic inc, and see if they know of such a thing.
And as far as you pulmonary fibrosis is concerned the ICD is not affected by the computed tomogram since it uses x rays and not strong magnetic fields such as an MRI machine. In the near future you would not be able to undergo an MRI, but there are technical innovations which may change this in the next 10-15 years.

[Pacerdoc]

A related discussion, CT Scans, Pacemakers and ICDs was started.

[kevk]

Hi I just had a CT scan and did not have to have my ICD shut off.  MRI`s are a different story, I can not have a MRI because of my ICD.

I am on my fourth ICD and I run weed eaters, chain saws, leaf blowers and I work on my car while it`s running.  My ICD is in my abdomen  and after seventeen years none of my electric or gas powered tools have ever caused a problem.  I try to keep my power tools at least six inches from my ICD same as my cell phone.

[n2rnn]

Talk to your doctor about having the ICD turned off while having a CT scan.  They can easily do this with the equipment they use to read your pacemaker.  You can probably have the tests.

I was never told not to operate lawnmowers or such.  I regularly use a lawn mower and and weed eater.  All I was told was to stay a distance from electrical fields, like arms length with the weed eater--like "don't put it up to your chest."  The doctor said to stay away from the electrical coils of an operating alternator on a car--"don't lean over it."  Other than that, I haven't heard of or had problems.  Ask your technician and your doctor again about operating small engines.
Mark