Excerpt

In 2005, Irnich et al. reported in Europace [1] the occurrence of six pacemaker patient deaths during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These deaths were identified from files in German institutional medicolegal offices in various cities; it was believed that the deaths were not previously published, and thereby should be considered additional to deaths already known to the medical community at that time [1]. Specifically, the authors found that the deaths had occurred under a variety of MRI circumstances, i.e., four different MRI manufacturers, 0.5–1.5 Tesla (T) with half the deaths occurring in low induction (0.5 T) machines. It was notable that all had sinus node dysfunction as an indication for pacing (pacemakers from four different manufacturers), but none was pacemaker-dependent [1]. ECG monitoring was not performed in any patient but ventricular fibrillation was given as the cause of death in three and suspected in two others. The remaining cause of death was not assigned. The authors provided little background information in the way of clinical data regarding the patients or their care. …