Tatoo's and MRI's

[Mary Jo]

Good Morning Everyone,

Just a question because this has peeked my interest. I am not thinking of getting a tatoo, however, my husband needed an MRI last year for a torn rotater cuff and was asked if he had a tatoo. If he would have he would not have been able to have the MRI is what we understood. Anyway, the other day I was thinking of those who had tatoo's on this web site and wondered if you can have MRI's and if not, what? A CT scan?

Just curious.

Mary Jo

[Carol H.]

I know that if you have any medals in your body you cannot have an MRI. I wonder if the ink dyes have lead? The color red might? I know I couldn't have an MRI because I have a piece of lead in my eye. It's because a MRI use magnets and if you have any metals it would pull them out of your body. Thank goodness they asked me about metals before I went into that machine!
Carol H., Fl

[Sandy H]

My husband has a tattoo and he has had MRI's. This is the first I have heard of this. hugs, Sandy

[mslinda]

I don't have any tatoos, but my son has them on his lower back, arm and leg. He fractured both of his hip sockets in a car accident, and he had MRI's of that area, with a tatoo on his lower back.

Linda
S. Mississippi

[romo9]

Thet showed on Mythbusters that there is no problem!! Regards Romo

[jessica]

I have 2 tatoos & get MRI's pretty regularly & have noticed that question on the intake sheet.
But no worries...apparently, 20 years ago,tattoo dyes contained metal fragments & ostensibly could create problems during an MRI-distorting the image, injuring the skin.
Tattoo ink today is different, so no worries unless you have a 20+yo tattoo