Cardiac pacemakers designed for magnetic resonance environment

: Electromagnetic fields associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can cause serious functional disturbances in patients with cardiac pacemakers. Thus, an implanted pacemaker is generally considered a contraindication for an MRI scan. Studies have shown that MRI indication may emerge in about 17% of patients within one year of pacemaker implantation, and up to 75% of these patients may require MRI during the lifetime of their device. Introduction of pacemaker systems designed specifically for the MRI environment is an important development, providing pacemaker patients with access to this important diagnostic modality. In this article, the current status of MR conditional pacemakers is discussed, together with clinical applications.